Slaughter Not

I knew their plot because the LORD informed me; at that time you, O LORD, showed me their doings. Yet I, like a trusting lamb led to slaughter, had not realized that they were hatching plots against me: “Let us destroy the tree in its vigor; let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will be spoken no more.” But, you, O LORD of hosts, O just Judge, searcher of mind and heart, Let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause!   (Jeremiah 11:18-20)

Trusting lambs get slaughtered.  That may be too harsh a characterization; however, we all should realize not everyone likes us.   Some actually hate us as revealed through gossip and social media plots hatched to discredit and harm us.  The motivation: envy, greed, anger, and suspicion top the list of reasons.

Another reason can be where we live or where we originated.  This is especially true for immigrants.  Consider the Gospel: Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said,“This is truly the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But others said, “The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he? Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.  (John 7:40-53)

Jesus came from Galilee; he could not be the Christ, so some said.  There was prejudice against Galileans.  Prejudice is a deadly mind-set.    We tend to judge people based on external factors, such as appearance, and not on who they really are.  We assume the worse instead of expecting the best.  We can be the wolves amongst the trusting lambs.

This Lent we must not hatch plots and act like wolves.  We must search our minds and hearts, oppose division, and decide to bring the dispossessed and trusting lambs into the land of the living, i.e., welcome them into our communities where we can be trusted to do God’s will through love and compassion.

Deacon David Pierce