Eastertide

April 7, 2021

Scripture Reading: Psalm 133
How very good and pleasant it is
   when kindred live together in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
   running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
   running down over the collar of his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon,
   which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord ordained his blessing,
   life for evermore.

I acknowledge the basic idea that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, kindred if you will. The more I delve into genealogy, the more I realize we are, at least, all biological cousins. I wonder how often we read the Bible searching for documentation of concepts already ingrained in our souls. For example, we cling to specific laws that we follow with zeal while ignoring many we do not heed.  The existence of slavery throughout the Bible credentialed the slave trade in America whether it was the right thing to do or not.  

The author of the Bible book of John elected to reach back to Genesis 1 when the author started writing. In the beginning was the Word. We all would benefit from heeding this example. I read an open inquiry on my genealogy software from an African American man tracking his linage. We share a DNA link. Our ancestor was the slave owner who impregnated the man’s great, great grandmother, his slave. I did not have much to share with him about this man that he did not already know. I sent him what I could. After all, he is my half-cousin several times removed. Our DNA link gave him additional proof that the man was his ancestor.

I think about that when I see mistreatment of people on our streets because of some reality we have created called race. When our ingrained ideas about people get in the way of loving them just as they are, we might want to recall the verse: How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!

All my ancestors arrived in the New World before 1790. I have not yet tracked down all of them, but of those I have, all were devout Christian folk, and all but one owned slaves. They lived in both the north and the south. I think it is rather telling that my one ancestor who did not own slaves was an indentured servant. He, too, was Christian and prospered just as well as the rest of them, or better, after completing his indenture. God’s abundance is not limited to or defined by privilege and greed.

Prayer: Lord, cleanse us of the baggage of prejudice we have packed along life’s way. Open our hearts to see the kindred souls with whom we share this earth you created for all of us. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.