Luke 6:17-26 (NRSV)
Read Luke 6:17-26 on biblegateway.com
Verse 17He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. Verse 18They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. Verse 19And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.
Verse 20Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Verse 21"Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Verse 22"Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Verse 23Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. Verse 24"But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Verse 25"Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. "Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. Verse 26"Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.
Devotion
Humorist Robert Benchley's "Law of Distinction" states, "There are two kinds of people in the world, those who believe there are two kinds of people in the world, and those who don't." Prophetic sayings of blessing and woe seem to be about dividing the world into two kinds of people. However, I believe prophetic sayings are always about God's mission. The goal is that we would all be one as the Trinity is one, so that all may be blessed.
Two kinds of people came to hear Jesus on the level place - a crowd of Jesus' disciples and a multitude of people. Further, the multitude had two kinds of people: those from the Bible Belt of the time, Judea and Jerusalem; and those from the margin, the Left Coast of Tyre and Sidon. Two kinds of people came to hear Jesus, to have their lives transformed and to be made into one people.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, when we see two groups or different kinds of people, give us your transforming vision so that we may be one as you are one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.