As our family left for a sabbatical that included a month in the Holy Land, I distinctly recall promising my mother-in-law, “Don’t worry; we won’t take your grandkids to Hebron.” Guess what? Thanks to the hospitality of a group from Guilford College and the Christian Peacemaking Team in Hebron, we did just that. Sorry, Dottie.
Why has Hebron been such an icon of conflict in the land-based struggles between Israel and the Palestinians? Well, as many Jews and Christians will tell you, scripture says that Israel’s forebears were buried there. So despite the fact that Hebron lies squarely within the “Palestinian territories” designated in 1967, today you’ll find a robust Israeli presence, with military support, roads for Israelis only (built with our tax dollars), and continuing waves of Israeli settlers harassing the native people—sometimes violently—and confiscating their land. All because of the Genesis story that connects Abraham’s family to this real estate.
Sorry to get all geo-political on you, but it’s now impossible for me to read this chapter without graphic images of Hebron dancing in my head. It reminds me that scripture can endanger people. More importantly, it reminds me that we all read scripture selectively, sifting out those elements we find impossible or objectionable.
What if, for instance, rather than military aggression and settler hostility, the Israelis actually followed Abraham’s example, acknowledged their alien status, asked humbly for a simple human dignity, and insisted on paying fair price for it? But that makes me ask, in turn, what if, when I’m dependent on others for simple human dignities like food and clothing, I acknowledge that dependence, and ask humbly for the privilege of paying a fair price for it? Ouch.
- Identify one or two basic human needs, and consider your dependence on others for those needs. What is your attitude toward those who provide them?
- Reflect on the “spiral of generosity” in this story, as the Hittites and Abraham outdo each other. Consider how you might find a way to begin such a spiral with someone you’d otherwise consider an obstacle.
- What other details did you notice in today’s reading?
Prayer: We’re all about self-protection and self-promotion, O God. Help us square up to the harm we do in the process. Draw us, by your spirit, into your generous and life-giving ways. Amen.
Breath Prayer: What is that // between you and me?
