Monday, August 24, 2015

Today’s Reading  |  Genesis 11:1–9
Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.”

The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. And the Lord said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth. (NRSV)

Reflection
The story of the Tower of Babel is intriguing. It shows the blessing of so many diverse cultures and languages. It portrays God limiting humanity’s accomplishments when they are not aligned with God’s purposes. God’s judgment and subsequent action relate to the builders’ motivation, which is fear-based. Humanity wants to “make a name for ourselves” to avoid being scattered across the face of the earth.

The builders in Babel are afraid of not being able to keep their community intact and of being dispersed into a threatening world. They want to secure their own unified community, isolated from the rest of the world. But God wants them to scatter far and wide so they can fill the earth and become caretakers of it. An isolationist view of their place in the world, centered on self-preservation, puts the rest of creation at risk. God brings confusion among them through multiple languages so that they must disperse and fulfill what God desires.

Ordinarily we see unity among people as desirable. Here unity stands in the way of what God wants, and people seek self-preservation at all costs. The right kind of unity occurs only when it encompasses the concerns of the entire world.

The Internet has opened an unprecedented means for free expression, positively connecting people all around the world, encouraging information sharing and broad engagement with a multitude of ideas. It has also enabled harassment, bullying, and intimidation of people based on who they are and what they think. An Internet pioneer says we were naïve in our initial expectations for the Internet. We did not understand how people could use it to harm others. Even the finest of human creations can subvert God’s intentions.

Prayer
God of us all, keep the creative efforts of humanity aligned with your purposes. Amen.

Written by Victoria G. Curtiss, Associate Pastor for Mission

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

Devotion index by date | I’d like to receive daily devotions by email