Tuesday 09 January 2024

Background

Water policy is a major issue in the Jordan valley. EcoPeace Middle East says "We are Jordanian, Palestinian and Israeli environmentalists working together to protect our water — and our future." Barriers have been overcome in the interests of the wider good – water cannot be withheld from any.  

In our reading today Peter has just had ‘a lightbulb moment’ – he has suddenly come to realise that God has no favourites – people from every nation are included in the story of salvation. The Holy Spirit had fallen on those he had been taught to regard as ‘outsiders’ and now they are brothers and sisters in Christ. So, can the water of baptism be withheld from them? No, indeed it cannot and it must not!  

As an observant Jew, Peter had been brought up to keep his distance from gentiles (non-Jews) – dietary laws precluded eating together and visiting the homes of gentiles was ‘not on’. However a weird dream about clean and unclean animals and an unexpected visit from servants of the centurion, Cornelius, had changed all that and Peter had come to see things in a new and a more inclusive way – you can read about it in the earlier verses of Acts 10.  

‘Lightbulb moments’ are disturbing. We are challenged to change our minds and attitudes on things we have held dear; we are challenged to accept the outsider as an insider. And, significantly, we are called to account for ourselves, sometimes to those who are deeply offended by our new stance. Peter had to travel to Jerusalem to face criticism for what he had come to believe. He had to 'tell it out' which was not easy for a fisherman from Galilee to do before the believers in Jerusalem. However, he was persuasive and they came to see that "God has granted even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life" (Acts 11:18). Salvation is for all!  

To Ponder:

• Reflect on the biases you may have about other people – how your views are coloured by their faith, nationality, politics, colour and social class. This can be challenging as we are often not even aware of our own biases.
• What might you do to include someone you have previously excluded, whether intentionally or unintentionally? Could having coffee together start a conversation about the things on which you differ?  

Prayer

Loving God, soften my heart to those from whom I differ and give me the strength and honesty to account for my change of heart. Amen.