May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now reside as a foreigner, the land God gave to Abraham. – Genesis 28:4

Today’s Scripture Reading (July 19, 2018): Genesis 28

The 6^th – 5^th century B.C.E. philosopher Confucius argued that you should “Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.” The argument seemed to be that the weapon, by itself, was useless. A master swordsman understood the dance of battle. If a warrior possessed a sword but did not possess the necessary grace of movement to use the sword, then the sword would not only be a waste, but it would most likely also be lost. If a man cannot dance, he will never be of any use on the battlefield.

I think we intuitively understand and follow the instructions of Confucius as we live our lives. We want to give our gifts to the ones who have the capacity, and the will, to do the most with it. We want to give our swords to the ones who know how to dance.

And then we are confronted with the story of Isaac and his sons. Using the analogy of Confucius, it quickly becomes apparent that no one in this story has any idea of how to dance. No one has acted worthy of the blessing of Abraham. Isaac has openly thwarted the desire of God by intending to pass the blessing on to Esau even though God had declared that Jacob would be the recipient. Esau had rebelled against the will of God through his marriages, following the lusts of his desires rather than the wishes of his parents. Rebekah has instigated a fraud against her husband and eldest son. Jacob has lived up to his name as the “one who deceives.” None of the four major players of the story have acted in a way worthy of the blessing of God. And yet … Jacob will still receive it, and God will still move through this family who has forgotten how to dance. And God’s blessing will still make an impact on the world, just as it was designed to have.

To be honest, when I look at the contemporary church, I still see a people who can’t dance. And yet, God’s grace covers us, and he works through us. The result is that we are a blessing on the world. Our critics make a lot about our inability to dance. And they should. Sometimes we are not the best ambassadors for Christ. And yet, the hungry are fed, and the poor are valued, and the grace of God, at least at times, flows through us. There is no doubt that we can do better. But God continues to give his sword to people who can’t dance just as he did in the time of Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob.

Now, if we could only learn to dance and be worthy of the sword that God gives to us. If we could, then grace and love would transform the world in which we live. And honor would be brought to God of all grace.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Genesis 29