When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed festivals, whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out the north gate. No one is to return through the gate by which they entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate. – Ezekiel 46:9

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 8, 2014): Ezekiel 46

Justin Bieber found himself in trouble again last week - this time for telling a racist joke. Bieber immediately apologized for the joke saying that he did not understand that the joke was not funny nor that it was offensive to Black people. Admittedly, the excuse itself, especially the use of the “n” word to describe a Black person, seems quite weak. But that isn’t maybe the most disturbing thing about the situation. What is truly disturbing is that this is just another in a string of disturbing incidents perpetrated by the young singer. Bieber doesn’t seem to be understanding how detrimental his behavior will be in the long run. For Bieber to survive as an entertainer, a change in the way he interacts with the world is absolutely required. Continually ostracizing would be fans can be nothing but self-destructive in the end.

But, it isn’t just a Bieber problem. Life for the human race is all about maturing in some way. I don’t mean that we must grow old or forget that life both can be and should be fun. But we are supposed to increase in our understanding, and especially our understanding as it relates to other people. Maturing is an expected process, even for those of us want desperately to remain young at heart. Life is about change. It is about understanding why behavior al change is essential for us to be a success in life. All of us know of areas in our lives where change is needed.

And it is this principal that Ezekiel seeks to demonstrate within his temple. The people are to enter the temple area through either the north or the south gate. Which gate you use to enter the temple really didn’t matter, but what gate you used to leave the temple did. If you entered through the north gate, you exited through the south gate. And if you entered from the south, then you exited to the north. And the reason was not just an administrative abnormality. The idea was that no one should enter the temple and leave without being somehow changed by the experience – and all of this was demonstrated by leaving the temple area by a gate that was different from the gate by which you entered.

Today is the day that the Christian Church celebrates Pentecost. It is the recognition of the day that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the people of God. And in that one act was change – the Holy Spirit changed the people of God in a very significant and permanent way. And today we recognize that change. We recognize that every moment that we are in contact with the God of this world, we are changed. And maybe we should try to demonstrate our belief in change by leaving our place of worship today from a different door from the door in which we entered.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 47