Monday, May 19, 2003
Monday, May 19, 2003
"Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes
the one who sent me."
Those who are considering marriage sometime in the future need to be advised that when you
marry someone, their family comes as part of the bargain.
Fornatualy, when we join God's family, Christ has set us free. No barbecues at the stake. With
open arms God welcomes us with joy. That leaves something for us to work on. Be a welcoming
agent of God.
(Matthew 10.40
NRSV)
How do you get along with your mother-in-law? Think about that one for a moment. How do you
get along with your mother-in-law? If we lived in Goradze, Yugoslavia, the question would not be
frivolous. In Goradze, when a marriage announcement is made, they have a strange custom.
The bride-to-be's neighbors grab the groom-to-be and drag him outside. There they tie him to a
stake near a bonfire and fan the flames toward him. To save him from becoming barbecued, the
bride-to-be's mother has to provide food and drink for everybody. After the feast is spread, the
fun-loving neighbors cut the guy loose. That is assuming the prospective mother-in-law-to-be is
in favor of the union.
Dear Jesus, guide me in being an agent of God's who welcomes all. Amen.
