November 25, 2020

​Daily Lectionary Readings for Year A

Ezekiel 33:7-20

Have you heard the saying, "You are what you eat"?  It's true, isn't it?  If you eat nothing but yucky food, you're going to feel yucky.  If you eat healthy food, more than likely, you're going to feel more healthy.  If your diet is mostly candy and carbs and chips and Cokes, you're probably going to be affected.  You might be overweight, or sluggish, or have other health issues.  If what we eat is hurting us, and the choices we are making are making us sick, it's silly to place the blame anywhere besides back upon our shoulders.  You are what you eat is usually pretty accurate.

Ezekiel makes this kind of appeal to the people this morning.  You have control over your actions.  You can choose to be wicked and act in wicked ways.  You can choose to be righteous and act righteously.  You have a say over how you live your life and relate to the world.  If wickedness is your way, then there are consequences.  Why would you say that God is unjust if the choices that you make, choices that you can control, which hurt the world and others, have negative results?  

Of course, life is a bit more complicated.  We don't want to simplify or over-generalize.  Sometimes poverty and policies that benefit the rich make eating more healthy nearly impossible.  Genetics and our health care system also play a role in our overall well-being.  Sometimes people who eat healthy are sick.  And there are those who have only been taught to hate and hurt others.  They have no other point of reference and follow the lead of those before them.  Still, Ezekiel knows that God knows our hearts.  We cannot pretend to be righteous when we are allowing wickedness to flourish all around us.  We can try to justify our actions all we want, but we cannot blame God for the consequences.  

What are some things you are doing that you know you shouldn't be doing?  What are some things you are not doing that you know you should be doing?

Peace,
Dean