But the woman took the two men and hid them.
Today, the Church commemorates the ‘Righteous Gentiles’, including Hiram Bingham IV, an Episcopalian US State Department diplomat in France. He violated State Department rules providing escape routes for some, and provided sanctuary in his own home for others. He, plus a document 23,000 others are commemorated for risking their own lives to save the lives of fellow children of God during WWII.
The Scripture appointed for this day is the story of Rahab, a prostitute living in the city of Jericho. She clearly was an outsider, given her gender and profession. Two men from Israel came to Jericho to scope it out. The king of Jericho went to apprehend the two men, but Rahab hid them on her roof, and send the pursuers away. She later went to the spies and said that she knew that these two men were sent from God, and that their God was the God of all. Rahab provided sanctuary for fellow children of God, and if she hadn’t, their lives were at risk.
Reading this, I feel convicted. There has been a lot in the news about the crisis at the southern border, with the refugees coming from countries south of here. There are stories of families separated, children in cages, people dying. All of this is horrible.
I’ve heard some say that the attention and media focus on this current problem is a ploy to stir up trouble against the current political administration; previous administrations have done similar horrible things, and there are horrible things occurring throughout the world, caused by my country. I’m not addressing that, nor dismissing it, nor minimizing that. Maybe it’s true, and maybe there are bad things happening elsewhere. And the crisis at the border is also happening, and it’s horrible.
I feel impotent to the problems at the border. I’m not one to stand in a protest, and just yesterday, I was thinking about what I could do. I could write Congress. I could stand in protest. I could contribute to sanctuary movements or support humanitarian efforts at the border. All of that feels impotent.
Perhaps my best efforts are to pray, and to trust in a God who ultimately makes everything right. To be open to the opportunities to do something. What Rahab did was small, in the scope of the arc of humanity. But it’s noted and recorded for history. Her small deed for two children of God was enough.
This morning, I’m thinking about being open and responsive to God’s call to me to do something. I want to be aware of the small things and small opportunities to contribute my small part. My part may not be protesting. But if I’m receptive to God’s movement, I know I have a part to play. Today, I pray that I recognize the two spies that come to my door. I pray that I don’t turn them away, but hide them on my roof, like the prostitute Rahab did.
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