Today’s reading from Matthew brings some words that at first glance seem like a pretty good guarantee: “seek and ye shall find.” If you put in a bit of effort to seek, you will be rewarded. Yet even with this guarantee, we can be reluctant. What are the obstacles in our way?

Is it that we are worried that we won’t like what we find? Regardless of what we are expecting to find, seeking increases awareness of self, others, and the world. In seeking we are made more aware of the dream of God for this world, which in turn makes us more aware of the world’s brokenness. It can be all too easy these days to see what is wrong in the world and feel overwhelmed. How can you fix poverty? How can you fix injustice? How can you fix violence?

This can be particularly difficult for those of us who see ourselves as problem solvers. When we become aware of a problem in the world, finding becomes a burden as we think that we have to solve the problem all on our own. It takes a concerted effort to step back and say, no, it is possible to be a solution to a piece of the problem. Seeking does not mean that we have to bring to life God’s dream for this world all on our own.

Katherine McClintic

Appointed readings for today: Esther (Apocrypha) 14:1-6, 12-14, Psalm 138, Matthew 7:7-12