Living in the Spirit
October 2, 2021
Scripture Reading: Mark 10:2-16
Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?’ He answered them, ‘What did Moses command you?’ They said, ‘Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.’ But Jesus said to them, ‘Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation, “God made them male and female.” “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.’
Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. He said to them, ‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.’ –Mark 10:2-12
What’s in a family? As a people, we seem to have lost our way regarding the most critical influencer in our lives, the family. God created the family as the means of procreating and maintaining the human species, but that is hardly the family’s sole purpose. I am reading The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom, the story of an Irish girl whose parents both died on the ship bringing the family to the USA in the 1700 hundreds. This child was sold as an indentured slave to a family that lived on a plantation staffed by enslaved Africans. She was integrated into the house servants’ group. They became her family until her indenture was nearly over. She was separated from that family as a teenager to be reintroduced into society as a white person. What’s in a family, indeed?
The story of the first couple God created began the long history of God’s family, which includes all the diverse people of the world called to love God and love one another. With that example, humans formed other families with the same calling. The behavior of human families and how they interact and influence current and future generations is crucial to fulfilling the calling to love all of God’s children. It is a sacred trust. Doing anything to damage such a trust is harmful to all involved. I think that is the point that Jesus makes in the above scripture. He did not quote the Hebrew practice of stoning the guilty parties*. He even intervened to save a woman caught in adultery from being stoned, forgave her, and cautioned her to sin no more**.
I think Jesus is saying for people to take control of all aspects of our lives, appreciating the gifts God has given us to receive and share love and not make a mockery of love. When we make mistakes learn from them, and when we do love, love with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength as part of the family of God.
Prayer: Lord, forgive us when the habits of the world overcome the ways of your love. Please help us serve you more nearly in all aspects of our lives. Amen.
*Leviticus 20:10
**John 7:53–8:11 Jesus and the woman caught in adultery
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.