Matthew 23 - Rest in Power

I woke up this morning to the sad news that Elijah Cummings passed away overnight. The representative from Baltimore, Maryland was never one to back down from the challenges that were before him. This isn’t an obituary about him - there are plenty of others online that speak. However, what Cummings did was that he was willing to stand up and speak truth to power. Didn’t matter if it was segregation, poverty, injustice, even the president himself. Cummings didn’t back down when truth needed to be spoken. I initially wrote something on my facebook page with “rest in peace.” However, a little bit later, I saw “Rest in Power” trending on twitter - all tied to remembrances of Elijah Cummings.

This morning continued the difficult words of Jesus from back in chapter 21. This time, a series of “Woes” against the religious leaders who were missing the point and hurting people in their drive for holiness and purity. Woe to you. Woe to you. Woe to you. Then a lament over Jerusalem of how Jerusalem had been the places that had killed prophet after prophet.

Jesus clearly was one who never backed down from challenging power with the truth that needed to be spoken. He stood out above everything and everyone else as he spoke. Cummings was one who did the same as do so many others today and have. But it is on us to continue to be the ones who speak the truths that need to be said and to proclaim the truth, justice, hope, and transforming work of Jesus.