“Only a pipe dream?”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Wednesday, February 28, 2024 Psalm 72 (Forward, p. 30) CEV p. 597

We speak of something as being only ‘a pipe dream’, when it is generally seen as unattainable or fanciful. This ties in with the etymology, the derivation, of the phrase, as referring to the fantasies brought about by smoking opium.

So then, are Solomon’s prayers to God only ‘a pipe dream’ or are they doable, realistic? Just note what he is asking of God: he is asking God to endow the king with an incredible character and behaviour. As for his character, he is to be honest and fair to everyone, especially the poor. And as for his behaviour:

-he is to defend the poor, rescue the homeless, and crush everyone who hurts them (verse 4).

-he rescues the homeless when they cry out, and helps everyone who is poor and in need. He has pity on the weak and the helpless and protects those in need (verses 12-13).

-he cares when they hurt, and he saves them from cruel and violent deaths (verse 14).

But, are these petitions, these desires, reasonable to expect of any human leader, king or otherwise? These may well seem to be an aberration, a departure, from what we know of many leaders today, but then, could they not be quite possible? Could they not set a standard for today, both for the leaders themselves, and for their people? I think so.

Nevertheless, it is quite reasonable to think that no earthly person will quite live up to this standard, much less some of the other things suggested in this psalm. It is not likely that the dominion of any earthly ruler will ever stretch over the entire earth, or that all rulers or nations will obey him. So then, realistically, only the Messiah will ever totally fill the bill as laid out in this psalm. But can we not aim for it, strive for it, expect it, even of ourselves and our own leaders? I think so.

Forward notes: “He shall defend the need among the people; he shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor” (verse 4).

Commemoration: Anna Julia Haywood Cooper

“Born in 1858, Anna Julia Haywood Cooper was an author, scholar, Black Liberation activist, and the fourth Black woman to earn a doctoral degree. Her writings were ahead of their time and still resonate with us today. She believed education was vital to empowerment, and she tireless fought for equal access to education for all. Her work, A Voice from the South, remains a classic in Black feminist literature and a powerful call for recognizing the intersectionality of race and gender in social justice.

“Cooper believed that true equality and justice could only be achieved through a moral and spiritual awakening, and she saw the gospel of Jesus Christ as a powerful force for this social change. She believed the teachings of Jesus provided a framework for treating all people with dignity and respect. As we honour Cooper today, may we remember her powerful witness that actual change requires not just political or economic action but a more profound spiritual and moral transformation.”

Moving Forward: “What role should we as Christians claim in the public square?”