Lectionary Reading: Genesis 37:1-28 (NRSV)
I remember getting a bite to eat at the Garage waiting for the Thunder game to come on. It was Wednesday, March 11 and Sheryl and I finished Bible study and headed over to watch. Then we saw them cancel the game and we heard that one of their opponents on the Jazz had tested positive for the coronavirus. The NBA Season was cancelled soon after that.
We then heard that the NCAA basketball tournament would be played without fans. Then we heard that it wouldn't be played at all.
The shutdown across the country was right behind and we've been on hold ever since.
Families have been spending more time together and this has been a positive thing for many.
Of course, the close proximity can also be difficult. Sometimes tempers can flare as our normal schedules have been displaced.
I can remember as a very young child, my mother would sometimes know that it was time for a friend to go home. She would say, "I think you're getting tired of each other since you've been together all day. You don't want to ruin your friendship."
There are times when our loved ones can even be too much of a good thing.
Many families were looking forward to going back to school. Our daughter Kyla mentioned that she's never so looked forward to the start of a semester! It's not that we've had a bad time together - it's just that we hope the return of school will signal a sense of being closer to normal.
Unfortunately, "normal" is not available yet.
There may even be more quarantines if the case-load gets out of hand for hospitals. We were warned about this at the beginning by infectious disease specialists but that was months ago.
So how do we strengthen each other rather than drive each other crazy?
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| Sometimes love needs a break! |
In Sunday's reading, we see how Joseph's brothers were ready to sell him. At first, they were going to kill him but one of the more rational brothers talked them into sending him into slavery instead. So we can see that he had family looking out for him!
Of course, as we read the story, we can also see how Joseph was a bit much. It's possible that he needed a little humility in his life.
That may be something we can think about. As I hold up this story as a mirror to my own life, I reflect on my close relationships and wonder if I could also use a dose of humility. There may be times when my family members may have wanted to trade me off to some wandering Midianites.
Joseph's brothers were feeling threatened. Daddy loves Joseph more than he loves us.
So as we consider our own families during this time of stress, maybe we need to emphasize and communicate to our family members that we love them very much. A little assurance goes a long way. Maybe if you can say it a little more often, they'll take the sticker price off of you.
We'll look again at this scripture on Sunday - I hope you'll join us online for worship. And if you're going a little stir crazy, grab a mask and join us in the Christian Activity Center at 8:30 or 11 am!
In Christ,
Sam
Photo by Ken Wilcox via Flickr.com. Used under the Creative Commons license.
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