Joseph, the unlikely tax collector, shows us how we can manage the challenges of the world only collectively, and never individually.
Joseph's brothers convince themselves that the world will go back to the way it was before him if only they can eliminate him. But the world changes in unexpected ways.
We are often tempted to tell stories of our righteousness, of how we have always been on the side of good. Jacob shows the power of a story that marks…
In the face of absurdity, Sarah laughed. And with God's help, the absurd happened anyway. Her lesson reminds us that there is always hope, even if it comes from places…
God calls us by name, and God sees that we are not whole unless we are in relationship. Using names, understanding names, allows us to build the relationship that God…
Sometimes God makes clear God's call. But in the midst of it all, it's hard to see that call's promise coming to fruition--through Abraham's life, it was not clear that…
In the flood, God starts creation over. But in so doing, God also sees that intervening in human affairs and restarting the world is not a thing to be done…
God loves us all, and God's promises predates anything we do. God is in unexpected places. Right Here. Right Now.
Abraham's life is full of anxiety over his legacy. When called upon to sacrifice that legacy, he learns the lesson for all of us: God provides. In the midst of…
God sets about creation methodically, creating the frame and then filling it in. So to do we set about the work of building the church by setting the frame for…
Asking questions is scary. Talking to people about something hurtful we felt because of their actions is scary. It's often easier to write them off as terrible or listen to…
The Trinity shows the essential nature of God existing community. So when we come together to build closer ties, we reflect the essential nature of God.
Joseph's brothers did some pretty bad things to him. But he was able to get away from their injury, spend time with God, and be healed (and it didn't hurt…
Wait, did Abraham just complain that he didn't have anyone to give all his money to? I mean, it's great rhetoric about the pointlessness of wealth without family, but still....
Shame and Fear cause us problems. It started with the shame and fear that caused Adam and Eve to separate themselves from God. How do we model our ways out…
In our lives, we encounter challenges that are bigger than an individual. And yet we sometimes blame ourselves for all the negative outcomes we see, for all of the bad…
As we embark on the Narrative Lectionary, we ask questions about the beginning of our story relating to God and one another. And so, before patriarchy, before marriage, before childbirth,…
We frequently think of Joseph (he of the dreamcoat) forgiving his brothers. But he also unquestionably used the power of the state first to terrorize them and then to benefit…
