“An ‘amazing’ double standard”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Luke 13: 10-17 (Forward, p. 8) CEV p. 1079
Sad to say, but what took place in that Jewish synagogue so many years ago could be repeated endlessly in churches, organizations, institutions, and nations the world over. We have rules and procedures in place, but we quite happily bend them or forget about them when it is convenient for us—or, sometimes more to the point, when it personally benefits us. A topic of conversation around here of late is the question, “how can people of faith, people who claim to love and follow the Lord Jesus, come to such totally different, and often opposite, conclusions and courses of actions?” My answer is that they allow their own personal biases, agendas, upbringing, and experience to colour their thinking—and, yes, sometimes get in the way of what the Lord might be trying to say. Max Lucado, an American Christian raised in Atlanta, Georgia, was raised up, by his church no less, not to think very highly of his fellow Black citizens and only eventually came to see them in a more positive, inclusive, and loving light. And the same went for Jews. And what is even more incredible—and mind-boggling—is that various scholars and writers have depicted Jesus as a hippie, a rabbi, an anti-establishment rebel, an eschatological prophet, and the leader of a sacred mushroom cult—all based, supposedly, on what the Bible says about Jesus. So, it should come as no surprise to us that widely divergent economic and political ideologies and movements, social programs and world views should all find their roots in that same Lord and that same Bible.
That is exactly the kind of thing that we find in today’s Scripture passage. The leader of the synagogue was all set to hold onto and keep in place the humanly-constructed rules and regulations about Sabbath observance and work—that is, when they applied to other people, people that were not especially of his concern. But, when it came to his own livelihood, his own vested, financial interests, well, that was another subject all together. He was quite happy to provide relief to his livestock, say his ox or his donkey, but not this more ‘disposable’, and less on his radar, human being. There was very much a double standard here. And, sad to say, a double standard that can exist in each of us. That is why we need to be humble about our own opinions and beliefs, and not be rigidly dogmatic or inflexible about them, and why we need to listen to others, respectfully listen and take heed of, opinions and convictions that differ from ours. And why is that? It is because our own opinions and beliefs are inevitably flawed and tainted and are certainly not the last word! And yes, even us, you and I, can be guilty of that same double standard that we saw in that synagogue. Thanks be to God for being willing to challenge and correct even us.
Forward notes: “When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are set free from your ailment.’ When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God” (verses 12-13).
“I can almost taste the relief that this woman must have felt. Doubled over for 18 long years, at just the touch of this man, this Jesus, she is healed. I wonder whether her perspective changed once she could look people in the face and not just at their feet. I wonder how her family and friends adjusted to the newness of her body and her capacity.
“So much of the time, it is hard for us to get used to something new, even if that new thing is a miracle and a blessing. It’s hard for us to accept change in ourselves and others. And yet, so often in our lives of faith, we ask God to lay hands on us and set us free.
“All it takes is one touch, one word, one prayer, and we are changed, forever.”
Moving Forward: “Are you truly ready to change your perspective?”