THE EMPHASIS IS ON "YOU"

Emphasis says a lot when you’re talking.  The choice of which words to stress in a sentence can alter the emotion and even the meaning of the conversation.   

So it’s interesting that though the Bible tells us a lot about what people said, it says very little about how they said it.  Word emphasis is left to the reader.  And that, like everything else about God’s holy anthology is intentional.

I teach my Bible study students to re-read conversational passages, changing the word emphasis around.  When they do that, they get to hear the nuances of deeper meaning embedded in the Scripture.

Those nuances are important, because we tend to hear certain verses quoted over and over in the same tone.  Over time we subconsciously think those verses the way we’re used to hearing them. 

And the way we think the Bible becomes the way we live the Bible.

Jesus said:  For the poor you have with you always…. (Matthew 26: 11; Mark 14: 7; John 12: 8)

Typically this scripture is quoted with emphasis on the words poor and always.  Hearing that over and over reinforces the idea that poverty is inevitable, incurable, and, in a sense, acceptable.

Mark gives the fullest version of this quote.  Read the verse aloud with new emphasis.

Jesus said: For YOU have the poor with YOU always, and whenever YOU wish YOU may do them good; but ME you do not have always.  (Mark 14:7)

How does that sound in your head?

Imagine yourself in the scene.  Can you feel Jesus’ eyes on you?  Can you see Him leaning forward and pointing at your chest with every “YOU”?

Poverty is an old and chronic social problem.  But we don’t get a pass on dealing with it.   The poor are not an unfortunate part of the  background of our lives.  They are our problem.  We don’t get to pray for the poor and walk away as though prayer is our full and complete Christian duty.

YOU do them good. 

Yes, the poor are always there.  Which means that they’re always YOURS to deal with. 

We say we love Jesus.  We say we want to please Jesus. We say we worship Jesus.  Well, Jesus isn’t physically present with us right now.  So, how did Jesus say He wants to be worshipped and taken care of in the time of His physical absence.

I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’

And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’  (Matthew 25: 35, 36, 40)

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. (James 1: 27)

For YOU have the poor with YOU always, and whenever YOU wish YOU may do them good; but ME you do not have always.  (Mark 14:7)

Read it again.  And hear the emphasis on YOU.

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama, executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO) and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

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To hear sermons, read devotions, and learn more about the ministry at Hall Memorial CME Church, visit www.hallmemorialcme.blogspot.com .

You can read more on Pastor Graves's personal blog at www.andersontgraves.blogspot.com  .

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