In today’s reading the treachery of Jacob’s sons (Gen. 34:1-31) I believe is an example of the “church” taking a good thing of God and using it for evil.

In the story found in today’s reading the sons of Jacob use circumcision to seek revenge. But at other times in church history, we’ve seen churches sell “forgiveness,” in fact this still happens. We know of churches that expect a financial offering when a prayer is prayed, in order for it to be “heard.”

But I also think of my own denominations history, we took and some still do take the beautiful doctrine of the sanctuary and turned into a tool to breed fear and thus encourage submission to a certain belief system.

We’ve maybe at times taken our knowledge of the Sabbath and rather than using it to teach the beauty of the character of Jesus we’ve taught it as, “see we’re right and you’re wrong.” So the Sabbath has been a tool of arrogance.

It is sad that we (collective church throughout history) repeat maybe not in such dramatic ways, but still repeat the sins of Jacob’s sons. Misusing God’s gift for our ultimate end!

This story can be read and we can be shocked and move quickly by it, or we can pause and ask, “have I done the same?” and if the answer is “yes” let us repent in our hearts and then thank Jesus for grace.

Tomorrow’s Reading: Judges 17-21