Daily Worship

Upside-down

Norah Summers December 12, 2014 0 0

Luke 1: 51-53

He has stretched out his mighty arm
    and scattered the proud with all their plans.
52 He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones,
    and lifted up the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things,
    and sent the rich away with empty hands.

If this situation is a bit out of the ordinary,
what could be next?

The world turned right upside-down
by my extraordinary child?

My child,
a King like David, the angel said – 
but with an upside-down kind of kingdom.

 “The rich man in his castle,
the poor man at his gate” –
isn’t that the way things have aye been?

But now all the old certainties are turning
upside-down.

Because this doesn’t seem to be about power,
or status
or wealth 
or extravagant feasts -

But about listening to God,
and accepting his challenge,

to notice the lowly people,
and to empower them
so that they can take charge of their own lives -

to speak up for the voiceless people
and give them a voice,
so that they can speak for themselves -

to treat the poor people with respect,
and give them a decent living wage
so that they can pay their way with pride -

to feed the hungry people
and encourage them to learn 
how to feed themselves.

That’s pretty radical change.

There is nothing that God cannot do.
That’s what the angel said.

Only the extraordinary thing is, 
he needs ordinary people
like you and me
to bring it about.


by Norah Summers