Win/Win

Today's readings: Psalms 63, 149; Genesis 24:28-38, 49-51; Hebrews 12:12-29; John 7:14-36

Psalm 63 speaks passionately of the psalmist's longing for God's presence: "my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you" (v 1). It celebrates the fulfillment he finds in the Lord: "My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast" (v 5). It expresses his glad and utter dependence on God: "in the shadows of your wings I sing for you [...] ; your right hand upholds me (vv 7,8). Roughly two thirds of the way through, starting at verse 11, it turns in a completely different direction. The psalmist begins cursing his enemies, calling them "prey for jackals" who "shall go down into the depths of the earth" (vv 10, 9). This pattern of longing, praise, and gratitude followed by curses cast upon one's enemies is common to many psalms. Why might this be?

Sometimes we have trouble understanding the difference between rejoicing in our own triumphs and reveling in the misfortune of our enemies. "Enemies" is a concept we can apply in many ways. Sometimes it's as seemingly innocent as a rival team. Many a pre-game prayer has been for victory - and by extension for loss by the opposing team. There are no heroes or villains in this situation, yet such a prayer presumes God will favor one side over the other. On a larger scale, we hear much rhetoric about America being a nation enjoying special favor from God. This belief in our own righteousness can cloud our perception of the morality of our actions as a nation. At its ugliest, it encourages us to think of our enemies as God's enemies.

When Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies, it isn't only to change them - it's also to change our hearts toward them. Competition can be good, and global conflicts can be unavoidable, but our attitudes about them can change. Jesus famously interacted with Samaritans and other "enemies" of his people because his vision was not limited by the tribalism which afflicts so many of us. When we follow his example and understand God's love includes our enemies, we can break free from the false win/lose thinking that creates nothing but division. Praying for the welfare of our enemies makes them our neighbors.

Evening readings: Psalms 125, 90