January 15, 2022 — “Pigeon holed” (Matthew 19:23-30)

^“ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.” Matthew 19:23-30

“Pigeon holed”

Originally, a pigeonhole literally was a small recess or compartment for a domestic pigeon to roost or nest in, usually as part of a pigeon coop. That term has been around since at least 1577. A little over a century later, in 1688, the term was also applied to similar small compartments built into desks or bookshelves for storing or sorting mail, papers or writing supplies. But a third meaning came to be accepted, first recorded in 1864 — the one you most often hear today as a “narrow, sometimes oversimplified category.” Used as a verb, it’s the act of placing someone in such a category (among actors, it’s also called type casting). The consensus among etymologists is that this usage comes from the original meaning of pigeonhole — with the meaning that the category the person or thing is being assigned to is as narrow and confined as a literal pigeonhole. It is really easy to pigeonhole people, giving them definitions that are narrow, and often discriminatory. People who want to be professional athletes will be pigeonholed as too short, too heavy, or too slow. And yet, we have seen individuals excel in sports by overcoming what others determine to be shortcomings.

As such, is it really easier to get a camel through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich person to enter G-d’s kingdom? I have two answers. First, the scriptures say that it is the “…love of money that is the root of all evil” – not money itself. Many rich people are generous and share out of their abundance. Second, when the disciples ask Jesus “Then who can be saved?” – Jesus answers, “For G-d, all things are possible.”

We need to learn not to pigeonhole people, and instead to trust that G-d wants all people to be saved.

Let us pray,

Lord Christ, we do not like to be pigeonholed, so help me not to pigeonhole others. Help me to see your face in everyone I meet today. Amen.

Pastor Dave

January 19, 2022 — “Turn a blind eye” (John 9:1-11)

“As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” ¹¹ He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” John 9:1-11

“Turn a blind eye”

To “turn a blind eye” to something means to pretend not to have noticed it.

The origins of this expression is said to have arisen from the famous English naval hero Admiral Horatio Nelson. It is told that during the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801, he is alleged to have deliberately raised his telescope to his blind eye, thus ensuring that he would not see any signal from his superior giving him discretion to withdraw from the battle.

As Jesus and his disciples walked along the path one day, they noticed a man who was blind. It was a natural understanding in their day that someone born with a disability was paying for the sins of others – or the sins of a previous life. I like how Jesus often answers the questions from his disciples, for Jesus seems to “turn a blind eye” toward their cultural understandings. Jesus turned a blind eye toward the admonition not to touch lepers. He turned a blind eye toward healing on the Sabbath. He turned a blind eye toward ministering to women – even welcoming them as disciples.

There is a lot in our society that we can turn a blind eye toward – but we should not be turning a blind eye toward ministry to the last, lost, least, and little in our community. Too often people with disabilities or people who are not like us are invisible to us. It takes a real concerted effort to always be aware of those we are most likely to miss, to ignore, or to see as unworthy of our time. Jesus died for these people too…….

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, help us to keep our eyes wide open to see the needs in our communities and our families every day – and give us the strength to help meet those needs. Amen.

Pastor Dave