“Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.

The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger. ”

When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.” Genesis 25:21-26

“Mind Your Own Bee’s Wax”

Now, honestly, many may think that this is simply a coined phrase mimicking the more common and literal phrase, “mind your own business.”

However, it turns out this has a more defined origin. Apparently, in the days before acne products, ladies would use a thin layer of bee’s wax to smooth their complexion where they had severe acne. From this practice has come several idioms over the years: If a lady looked too long or stared at another lady’s face, they might say, “Mind your own bee’s wax!” If the woman were to smile, it might crack the veneer of bee’s wax on her face, thus the phrase, “crack a smile.” Also, the phrase “losing face” came from when a girl would sit too close to the fire and the bee’s wax would melt.

The difference between Jacob and Esau could not have been any more striking — unless Esau would have used a razor and some bees wax. Esau was hairy and red — while Jacob was smooth skinned and handsome. But Esau was the oldest, and therefore was due to receive his father’s blessing and birthright. So, conspiring with his mother, Jacob steals his brother’s blessing — by dressing in Esau’s garments so as to fool his father Isaac, whose eyesight had dimmed.

We may be able to hide our true selves behind makeup and other dressings, but G-d knows what is inside each one of us. It does not matter how we look, how we dress, or how we appear to others. What earns praise in 21st century America means nothing to G-d. G-d loves us for who we are — period — because we are all made by G-d, created by G-d — and so we are created perfect, in G-d’s eyes.

There is no need to “mind our own beeswax” — G-d sees us for who we are — and G-d loves us unconditionally.

Pastor Dave

Reformation Sunday:

“Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?”Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:31-36

“Jesus speaks to us today of truth. And of slavery to sin. And of his being our freedom as he both models and grants this unfathomable acceptance. And we know in our gut, don’t you think, as well as in our experience that truth sets us free? But first it has to be spoken, received, and embraced. Or so it seems to me. First we have to acknowledge our utter slavery to that which binds us up. And our need to be set free. And that we have nowhere to turn but to the only one who can bring this marvelous gift of freedom to us.

This is the wonder of Jesus’ words for us today and every day. It’s not up to me or you. Jesus came to set us free. We can’t do it. All we can do — all we have to do — is know our need and be grateful in the gift. All we have to do is cast aside the biggest lie of all: that we can do it all ourselves and that our value rests in that. It does not. And sometimes coming to that larger truth begins in simply speaking what truths we know here and now as best we can. Jesus says today that our freedom can only come from outside ourselves: that we have to be ‘set free’ by him. (The Rev. Dr. Janet H. Hunt, “On Truth and Freedom and the One Who Sets Us Free”, October 19, 2014, word.dancingwiththeword.com)

Thomas Merton, Catholic priest and mystic, a prolific writer wrote these words about society: “We are living in the greatest revolution – a profound spiritual crisis of the whole world, manifested largely in cynicism, violence, conflict, and ambivalence…we do not know if we are building a fabulously wonderful world or destroying all that we ever had, all that we have achieved.”

At the root of our faith, as Lutherans, is our relationship with G-d: “faith alone” (sola fide) and “Scripture alone” (sola scriptura), and “Grace alone” (sola gratia). We believe that we are justified with G-d through our faith, alone – because scripture tells us of the story of G-d’s greatest act of Grace: the cross of Jesus Christ. But that does not mean that we can go it alone. Justification means that we are made right in G-d’s eyes only through “faith” that comes to us when we hear, read, and live out G-d’s “Word”. That should not mean that we come to this congregation on Sunday to worship hoping that people will leave us alone. As Lutherans, we historically have focused too much on the word “alone” and the word “grace”, and not enough on the words “faith” and “Scripture”. In other words, instead of being comfortable with being “evangelists” and doing “evangelism”, we would rather have people leave us alone so we can live out our lives of faith. That used to work enough to sustain a faith community – at least up until the 1990’s. However, we no longer can think that just our presence (church building) in the community will attract people to our message and ministry. I ask you, for the near future and beyond, to return to the five pillars of Lutheranism: Word Alone, Christ Alone, Grace Alone, Faith Alone, and Christ’s love. Allow G-d’s Word to compel you to live “In Christ”, to live in G-d’s “Grace”, to strengthen your “Faith”, to give you the courage to get involved and to share G-d’s love every day, in every way, with everyone you meet.

Pastor Dave