Read Mark 10:2-16.

This is one of those passages we would rather avoid than think about. It is one that we must read with an eye to the context in which it was written. We must consider what marriage meant in that time and place – of what marriage meant to a man in terms of his standing in the community and of what marriage meant to a woman in terms of acceptance and having basic needs provided for. There was less thought then about issues of personal agency or about nurturing and mutually satisfactory relationships.

Rather than read this passage as a rule book, it is helpful to remember that relationships can be complicated and complex. Each comes with a unique set of strengths and struggles. Some are lifegiving and others are unsafe for a person’s physical or emotional wellbeing. No matter how these words land with you, the key takeaway is that Jesus understands that relationship is important. People are not meant to be treated as disposable, nor are they meant to be treated as a doormat. Every person should know the gift of belonging and connection. Jesus’ blessing of the child proves this point. Passages like these have been used to harm, judge, or keep someone captive in an unsafe situation.

Can you think of others that have been used that way? Has there been a time when someone used scripture as a weapon against you or another person? Have you done it yourself? How might using scripture that way go against God’s intended purpose?

Offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of healthy relationships and for passages that challenge us to think and reflect more deeply than what we read at the surface.