Bowing

Genesis 33

We get nothing of background for Esau to explain this complete change of heart. When we last saw him he was bent on murder. Now he is eager to forgive. The narrative gives us no explanation for the change. Jacob’s wrestling over his relationship with Esau, as it turns out, is worked out before they meet. Still, there is mystery here as much as in the wrestling with the Lord. Maybe our sister/brother is to be accepted at ‘face value’ – as someone with a face, with personhood just as we meet her/him, as God had a face for Jacob even in the shadows. The NIV text notes that Peniel (Genesis 32:30-31) means ‘face of God’. This story and the previous one go together because we need to wrestle with one another in seeking to understand as much as we are permitted to, and to receive the blessing of their personhood. One of the most offensive things we can do with another is assume we understand what makes them tick because of something we know about them from their past, or because of some way they have dealt with us. It becomes a matter of convenience for us to hang everything else about them on that thing. But our peace with another depends – when we’ve openly understood all we can – in accepting their mystery. Even though there is still calculation in his moves, Jacob found peace with Esau because his posture, bowing and all, was an anticipation of Paul’s advice in Philippians to treat others as better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3-4), after the pattern of Christ who humbled himself before humanity. The other person is not better, of course, but maybe the only hope for real peace with one another is to assume that posture, in hope our practical attitude and actions will follow the posture.

In some church traditions, you bow or genuflect before the cross. In my tradition it is normal to bow to pray. I wonder what it would feel like as a greeting in church to bow to one another? I suspect that if someone came up to you and bowed you would, as I would, be mortified with embarrassment. We can at least make it our mind and heart’s disposition.

Prayer:
Lord, give me insight into others without assuming I know all I need to know. I’ve got no one’s number. Forbid that I should ever get anyone figured out, and so lose a blessing. Through Christ. Amen.