Lent

April 5, 2022

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9a

The Lord God has given me
   the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain
   the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—
   wakens my ear
   to listen as those who are taught.
The Lord God has opened my ear,
   and I was not rebellious,
   I did not turn backwards.
I gave my back to those who struck me,
   and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
   from insult and spitting. –Isaiah 50:4-6

I do not know if I have the tongue of a teacher, but I do enjoy facilitating good discussion and I usually work with adults. I grew from experiences in various employment. I did almost every job except fry cook at one of the chain restaurants on an interstate, cleaned houses, babysat children, and worked as a nursing assistant at two different nursing homes when I was in high school and college. I grew from each of these experiences, and I think those experiences helped me move into my career as a better prepared social worker and later as a pastor. In Bible studies, I learn from small business owners about the challenges of the business world, from welders and plumbers to accountants and lawyers. As a child welfare worker, I grew to appreciate sheriffs, deputies, and other law enforcement officials.

I have a sense that we are trying to build a world where everyone thinks alike and sees the world from a single perspective. God created a world requiring people with many diverse skills and talents to maintain it. Such work would, of necessity, require us to share our experiences as we work together for the common good. Perhaps the problem is that we do not care about the common good.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for providing other people in my life who give me a better understanding of this world you created. 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.