One Year Bible - January 26
Scriptures to read:
Luke 19:28-48; Genesis 34; Psalm 26
Genesis 34 is titled in my Bible, “Dinah and the Shechemites.” While this portion of Genesis is supposed to be about Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, I find it interesting that she does not speak nor make a decision for herself throughout her entire story. She is abused by an outsider and then silenced by her opportunistic brothers bent on avenging her. I have to wonder, is this passage really about her at all? Much of this story, like the broken mess of humanity we find littered throughout scripture, is brought on by small, seemingly insignificant compromises by humans called to live a different way. Jacob had made compromises in his integrity his entire life. He had tricked and been tricked, and now his sons followed in his footsteps. His example made it nearly impossible for him to speak into the horrors inflicted on his daughter, and he was powerless to stop the vengeance his sons took against an entire people. Small compromises that seemed isolated and nearly secret ended up setting a trajectory for his life, and the life of his family.
In the opposite way, Jesus also set a trajectory for his family in his refusal to compromise. Jesus refused to compromise his message, his method and the purposes of his Father. While the religious leaders were content to have his disciples compromised into silence, and their temple compromised into a marketplace rather than a house of worship, Jesus wouldn’t appease them. Their ambition was not his. Compromises that might have seemed small, or even justifiable at the time, Jesus knew were not worth the eventual trouble. Compromises in our ethics or the truth may seem innocent, but they always end up taking more than they promise to give. There is no such thing as a spiritual compromise that will have been worth it in the end. And as Jesus set a new trajectory for his family – those he calls children – we are called to examine our hearts for places where we are tempted to compromise what we know to be true. As we evaluate ourselves, because of Christ’s life, death and resurrection, we can say as David did,
“Vindicate me, Lord,
for I have led a blameless life;
I have trusted in the Lord
and have not faltered.
Test me, Lord, and try me,
examine my heart and my mind;
for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love
and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.
Memory Verse: For I am always aware of your unfailing love, and I have lived according to your truth.- Psalm 26:3
Prayer: Lord, would you help me see the places in my heart and mind where I am tempted to compromise the things of you in favor of what is easy. Help me Lord to remember what I want most, so that I don’t give it up in favor of what I want right now. Would you help bring me awareness when I forget your unfailing love, and I am tempted to choose anything other than your best for me and your people. I love you. Amen
