Leaning Into Luke

 

One sabbath while Jesus was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?”  Jesus answered, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?  He entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?”  Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.” Luke 6:1-5

Jesus was out for a Saturday stroll.  He had been to Temple to worship, pray, sing, and even enjoyed a cookie and cup of coffee at fellowship time afterwards.  So, he decided to continue his worship with a walk out in the beauty of God’s creation with his disciples (more on them later this week).  I guess that snack after the service didn’t last, linger for his friends.  Their stomachs started rumbling and grumbling, they saw some grain, plucked/picked some to enjoy a sandwich right there.  When suddenly from out of now where some Pharisees jump out.  Were they playing hide and seek?  Were they hiding behind a wheat stalk?  We know they said, “Caught you red handed!”  Insert frownie faces and fingers wagging here.  Jesus replied, responded by saying, “Well, David ate the Bread that was for God.”  That is what the bread of Presence was.  It was food that was left on the altar in the Holy of Holies in case, I guess, God got hungry?  Only King David one time decided that God was okay with sharing some of the holy manna with him.  Like a friend who reaches across the table at a restaurant with his fork to “test, try, taste” some of your entrée or snags a French fry from you when you look the other way. 

I believe that scripture has moments of holy hilarity that are meant to teach, tell us something through laughter.  I wonder if one truth to carry from these words is that we can get caught up in rules, regulations, and the right way rather than staying open to God.  Sometimes we are so convinced to the point of complacency with our ways.  Plus, our minds tell us that it is too hard to change.  And, this helps us feel like we are in control.  I felt that with this pandemic and constantly washing my hands as something to cling to in the midst of an invisible virus floating around.  The Pharisees, by the way, are not the bad guys.  They are more like Jesus.  Just like I can be frustrated with those who are slightly different then I am with those who are distant and disconnected and diametrically opposed to my understandings. 

A few insights to ponder:

Where are moments you feel fed literally and figuratively?

What ways do you cling to control so much that your knuckles turn white?

Who might the Pharisee be in your circle?  Those who are close by, who you care about, but who sometimes push all the buttons?

May God’s wisdom guide you and God’s love ground you this day as we let this story speak and sing to our story.  Amen.