“This is the way we’ve always done it.” How often have you heard something like that to reject a new idea? It can be frustrating if you are the person most affected by the unwillingness to consider change. Of course, all of us get stuck in old ways. This is true even in religion and in church. Jesus came to Israel with the Good News, but many of them saw it as something to fear or to silence. They were not ready for something “different”. Jesus makes that point in this passage and Luke uses it to sum up the events of this chapter. Jesus has included those who would normally be excluded because of the presumption of their sinfulness. Instead, Jesus talks about bringing sinners to repentance. The grace of God is amazing, but sometimes it is also scary. Can we allow God to change the way we’ve always done it?
