January 23
Gen 46:1-47:31 | PS 19:1-14 | Prov 4:14-19 | Matt 15:1-28
A woman tells her story of how she was blessed by a homeless man. On the way back from work every evening, more often than not there would be a homeless man standing at the exit of the freeway. He looked to be in his late 40's but was probably a lot younger. He had shoulder length straight black hair a short beard, and he was of average stature. His eyes were what struck me the most about him, they were brown and they had a sparkle. He always waved at every car, he was always happy and smiling and sometimes almost dancing. Every day after work I would remember to gather any spare change, and put it aside to give to him if I saw him. A feeling of joy would come over me every time I saw him, as I came off the ramp. He had that effect. I’d quickly roll down my window and give him the coins. Occasionally the red light would be on for a minute and we would ask each other about our day. His answer would always be the same, “I’m blessed!”. It amazed me that even in his situation of being homeless he was so positive, and his answer would remind me of how blessed I was. A single mother of four amazing kids, with a place to call home and with a job to provide for my kids. Then one day I was called into my boss’s office and was told that I was being laid off due to the economy. A feeling of worry engulfed me, and for the rest of that day all I could think of was “how am I going to provide for my kids, how am I going to pay rent, what am I going to do?” Needless to say that on my way home that day I was very sad and upset. I didn’t remember to look for my spare change and keep it ready like I usually did. I wasn’t feeling the joy as I got off the ramp where the homeless man would be. Yet there he was as always, as I turned the ramp. He set his eyes on me, while still smiling and waving at others. I’d hoped to catch the green light, but I missed it. While I was waiting for the red light to turn, he strolled over to my car. He had a big smile he looked me straight in the eyes and said “today I will give you a dollar”. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a dollar bill. I was blown away. I burst into tears. I wanted to jump out of my car and hug him!
When we come to today's encounter between Jacob and Pharaoh, you must realize from a worldly sense who each one represented. Pharaoh ruled the Egyptian empire which was at that time the most powerful empire in the world. Jacob, though Joseph's father, represented an old man, in the midst of the famine, who represented a shunned occupation. Egyptian art has been uncovered by archaeologists in which shepherds were represented by dirty-looking, often crippled and the object of scorn by the Egyptians who had the highest culture of anywhere in the world. So, understand this as we come to the meeting between these two men. Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How old are you?” And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh." Though Pharaoh was the worldly superior, it was Jacob, representative of the One, True God who blessed Pharaoh, Back in Genesis 14:18-20, though Abram was the leader of an amazing defeat of multiple kings, and was returning as the victor, it was he who was blessed by a man that we know very little about, "Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”"
Do we limit who we bless based on being intimidated by the social position of others? Do we limit who we accept blessings from based on our supposed position? My journey with Jesus began when I was a medical student in my final year. My mother had just died, and not knowing this I went to visit her in the hospital before I took part 2 of my National Board exams. Finding her, as she was prepared to be brought down to the morgue, I sat and cried by her bedside. A woman, who might have been from housekeeping, went over to me, and with her hand on my shoulder, prayed Psalm 23 over me. I never heard the word of God spoken before with such love. She blessed me. I wanted to thank her later that week, but no one had any idea who I was talking about. I asked the hospital chaplain for a Bible, committed myself to read it daily, and my journey began. We read in Matthew 15:1-2, "Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” These religious leaders missed their blessing, missed their Savior, because they were fooled by their earthly position and could not fathom it was they who needed the blessing by Jesus. Let us never be fooled and limit ourselves by appearances or social standing. If you are in Christ, then you are His ambassador, His emissary, part of His Holy Priesthood, and you can and should bless others, and accept blessings from His other children.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: