Daily Devotion

Luke 2:22-40

Christmas was over a month ago and today the church remembers the presentation of Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem. This was a common practice for devout Jews. Why do remember this act of obedience today? According to Levitical Law, a woman that bore a male child would need to wait 33 days after the birth before entering the Temple to bring a sacrifice. In general this would be a sheep and a certain type of bird. However, Mary and Joseph were so poor, could not afford a sheep so they brought two birds (allowed by the law for those who could not afford a sheep) to the temple. Because Jesus was their first son, they also gave a monetary offering.

Reading today’s text I am reminded how poor Jesus’ family actually was. In 2021, Jesus probably wouldn’t have attended school in an affluent district or at a private school. His parents probably would need to get food at the Freestore and Joseph would need to work long hours or two jobs to support Jesus and his siblings. Perhaps Mary would need to care for other children or clean offices at night.

Coming from a middle-class background, I find myself often judging those that are in poverty. Our society links poverty with moral failing or laziness. However, poverty in this country is more closely linked to structural and racial inequities and not a failure to “lift oneself up by one’s bootstraps.” Having the “right” background or having gone a “good” school are how we often evaluate people.

Would we take Jesus seriously today he did not have the right background or had not attended a “good school?” 
Do we look for Jesus amongst the poor and marginalized in our communities? 
Do we see him in the eyes of students at Taft Elementary or amongst Habitat families?
Where are you missing potential sightings of Jesus?