Today’s Readings: Psalm 41; Esther 1:1-19; John 8:41b-47; 2 Corinthians 1:1-7; Psalm 142
Let me begin by saying, yesterday I accidentally used the wrong day’s readings. I used today’s readings yesterday. In order to get things back on track, I’ll re-use the scriptures I published yesterday and reflect on a different passage and theme. My apologies for the confusion! I will also work to incorporate a suggestion that came in from one of my readers. That is, at the beginning of my entry I’ll highlight the individual passage that I’m reflecting.
Reading for today’s reflection: Esther 1:1-19. Today’s reading from Esther is a difficult passage for me to engage. It's difficult because the values underlying the story are so patently sexist. For example, we are told that Queen Vashti’s offense was basically not saying, “How high?” when the king said “Jump!” In other words, she refused to leave a personal commitment she had previously made when the king simply wanted to treat her as a possession and show her off to his friends. Members of the king’s council then went on to say they couldn’t stand for such behavior in Queen Vashti since the consequence would be that it would produce “a country of angry women who don’t know their place”. The qualification for the woman who would succeed Queen Vashti? The successful candidate had to be “a woman who knows her place”. The whole scenario reads as if it came from a manual for male chauvinist oinkers. So what are we to make of it? Well, for me, the story reminds me that in spite of our personal and cultural biases, God’s presence can still abide in our lives – and positive outcomes can be produced. In spite of King Xerxes’ bias, circumstances unfolded in such a way that the path to the throne was opened for Esther. And once she was enthroned, Esther was in position to save the lives of her people. The story makes me wonder about all the ways God can work around our own limitations and biases to accomplish transformative things. That gives me a great deal of hope today as I head out into the world. Til next time…
Let me begin by saying, yesterday I accidentally used the wrong day’s readings. I used today’s readings yesterday. In order to get things back on track, I’ll re-use the scriptures I published yesterday and reflect on a different passage and theme. My apologies for the confusion! I will also work to incorporate a suggestion that came in from one of my readers. That is, at the beginning of my entry I’ll highlight the individual passage that I’m reflecting.
Reading for today’s reflection: Esther 1:1-19. Today’s reading from Esther is a difficult passage for me to engage. It's difficult because the values underlying the story are so patently sexist. For example, we are told that Queen Vashti’s offense was basically not saying, “How high?” when the king said “Jump!” In other words, she refused to leave a personal commitment she had previously made when the king simply wanted to treat her as a possession and show her off to his friends. Members of the king’s council then went on to say they couldn’t stand for such behavior in Queen Vashti since the consequence would be that it would produce “a country of angry women who don’t know their place”. The qualification for the woman who would succeed Queen Vashti? The successful candidate had to be “a woman who knows her place”. The whole scenario reads as if it came from a manual for male chauvinist oinkers. So what are we to make of it? Well, for me, the story reminds me that in spite of our personal and cultural biases, God’s presence can still abide in our lives – and positive outcomes can be produced. In spite of King Xerxes’ bias, circumstances unfolded in such a way that the path to the throne was opened for Esther. And once she was enthroned, Esther was in position to save the lives of her people. The story makes me wonder about all the ways God can work around our own limitations and biases to accomplish transformative things. That gives me a great deal of hope today as I head out into the world. Til next time…
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