Living in the Spirit

September 2, 2020

Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 33:7-11

Now you, mortal, say to the house of Israel, Thus you have said: ‘Our transgressions and our sins weigh upon us, and we waste away because of them; how then can we live?’ Say to them, As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel? –Ezekiel 33:10-11

Wicked is an unforgiving word, a barrier to being any other way. When I read this scripture, I immediately envisioned the Wicked Witch of the West* with her green skin and snarling teeth. And then I thought of the musical Wicked**, which teaches us that there is much more to most stories, that privilege matters and that people are judged by the color of their skin. We also judge people by the titles we give them like felon. Many states do not allow persons convicted of a felony to vote when they get out of prison, even if they have completed their full sentence. They become a word, felon. They often must report on job applications that they have been convicted of a felony, whether their crime had anything to do with the job being pursued.

I realized that some might think Ezekiel’s wicked people are the pagans with whom they shared space. It does not say that. In fact, the scripture stresses the opposite. One must have been a follower of God in the first place to be able to turn back from their evil way. No, Ezekiel is preaching to fellow Israelites who have drifted away from the faith.

Statistics show that, Currently [2017], 43% of U.S. adults identify with Protestantism, down from 51% in 2009. And one-in-five adults (20%) are Catholic, down from 23% in 2009***.

Israel’s decline followed the growth of privileged thinking and exclusion. Not seeing the worth of all the people. Sound familiar?

Prayer: Lord, we have created a world that values wealth more than people, conformity to values that elevate self-righteousness rather than justice, and violence over peacebuilding. Forgive us of our wicked ways, help us turn back to the rule of love. Amen.

*A character from the book and movie The Wizard of Oz.

** See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked_(musical)

***https://www.pewforum.org/2019/10/17/in-u-s-decline-of-christianity-continues-at-rapid-pace/

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.