More than Enough of Contempt--July 25, 2017

Have mercy upon me, O God, have mercy,

for all the times I have  held in contempt

those less privileged than I have been--

women who ask for assistance,

men who beg for food.

Our minds are poisoned against the poor,

but some day, O Lord Jesus, your light

will shine and nothing will be hidden,

including the contemptuous things

we ourselves have committed.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 123; 146; 30; 86

1 Sam. 25:1-22

Acts 14:1-18

Mark 4:21-34

Selected Verses

Ps. 123:3

 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us,
          for we have had more than enough of contempt. 

1 Sam. 25:10-11

But Nabal answered David's servants, "Who is David?  Who is the son of Jesse?  There are many servants today who are breaking away from their masters.  Shall I take my bread and my water and the meat that I have butchered for my shearers, and give it to men who come from I do not know where?

Acts 14:2

But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 

Mark 4:21-22

[Jesus] said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light.  …"