Monday 16th February 2009 Respect

Today's Bible reading for St Luke's is from Leviticus chapter 21. It covers two subjects: priests and those with disabilities.
As I read this chapter I am reminded that the priest has a standard required by God that is well about Mr and Mrs Joe Average. This chapter covers their relationships, who they can marry and who they can't. But as I read this, it occurs to me, that we don't revere our modern priest's as we should. We are too familiar with them. Who are they? The modern equivalent of priests would be Pastor's, Vicars, Reverends and Fathers if your in the Catholic church. We are in the C of E, Anglican if you will, and we call our local priests Vicars. But we don't address them that way. When I was a wee little boy, many many moons ago I would no more call my Vicar by his first name than I would fly. They were worthy of our respect. Remember a person is that position doesn't have to "earn" your respect. His very positions entitles him to that respect. We conveniently forget that.
The second subject covers offering bought by people who have a disability, namely they couldn't. The Word is very clear on that. Some would call that legalism. Good on them. But I would remind such folk, me included, that God didn't say He doesn't love them. No, far from that. The qualification for God's love and salvation is open to all who will believe and repent. I don't see being disabled as disqualifying one from Salvation.
In my last blog entry I mentioned that the following day, Saturday 7Th February was going to be hot. It was. Very. And there were fires. Bad ones. One Hundred and eighty nine people as of this evening have lost their lives in these fires. The death toll is predicted to top 300. That is 300 people who will no longer be eating and living and loving. But it is more than that. Countless more will be affected. Then there will be the analysing that always happens after an incident such as this. My prayer is that cool heads will prevail. But also that we as a society will be prepared to make the changes that are necessary. May God have mercy on us all.