Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory, and lounge on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the stall.”
NL Daily Devotion for Wednesday, November 17, 2021
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
It’s always tough to read such condemnations. I want to think these things are reserved for those with gobs of money and power and privilege—the people I would love to see God punish. But—newsflash!—I have incredible privilege. Even in my intentionally small, simple life, I have unimaginable riches in comparison to the vast majority of the world. And I have the privilege of thinking about and acting toward justice when I have the energy for it. Am I not as complacent and self-indulgent as those Amos condemns? I need to ask God daily what I can do to show love of neighbor, and be willing to do what I’m told, even if it’s not in my comfort zone. And I need God’s grace and forgiveness when I inevitably fall short.
Do I acknowledge my privilege? How is God calling me to step outside my comfort zone?
![1 Kings 17:1-16 [17-24], God’s Care for the Widow](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56b39b61ab48de92d991a40a/bf37035e-33d5-439f-a0d6-a68b02d0f1bc/24-11-03.jpg)
