A fellow clergyperson graciously shares youth bulletins via email. I have printed a selection of these and made them available at the back for whoever might be interested. Last week, I was glancing at the crossword on the back of the bulletin and, I have to admit, I found it a tad challenging. The answers weren’t easily available to my memory. I had to think back, remembering Hebrew Testament stories from millennia past.
We don’t talk a lot about the Hebrew Testament and the stories it contains. Sure, we hear a selection of Scriptures from it each week, and a psalm. But how many of those stories easily come to mind? Looking at the second reading today, who remembers:
- How the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned?
- The walls of Jericho falling after they had been encircled for seven days.
- Who knows who Rahab is (the prostitute who protected the visitors when they came to check out the city)?
- What about Gideon (military leader, judge, and prophet from book of Judges who was victorious over the Midianites), Barak (God spoke through Deborah and told him to lead the Israelites against Sisera), Samson (last judge of the Israelites, a man of great strength, Delilah betrayed him and cut his hair), Jephthah (judge who led against the Ammonites – made a vow that led him to sacrifice his own daughter), David (King) and Samuel (prophet aided transition from Saul to David)?
- The letter also points to prophets. How many prophets can we name?
The Hebrews to whom this epistle is addressed, would have likely been well versed in these stories. They could see these individuals as the great cloud of witnesses the author describes. What about us? To what extent do we know these stories? To what extent are we inspired by these stories? Are there stories which serve us better offering us a great cloud of witnesses we can relate to today? Who might these individuals be?
Ultimately, we can trust that God gifts diverse individuals who choose to use those gifts in acts of faith. Those acts don’t have to be substantial, life-altering, socially transforming acts to matter. They can be people choosing to share their gifts in simple but profound ways. Sometimes, in the choices we make to share our God-given gifts we can be part of the great cloud witnesses for others too.
We all have choices about how we live what we believe. Just as Abraham and Isaac, Moses and David, Deborah and Ruth, and Mary Magdalene and the disciples and so many others have done. Who will inspire us? How will we inspire others? May we be continually open to the possibilities God prepares for us. This we pray as we sing: 502 You are Salt for the Earth