Spiritual Hiccups - I've Had Enough

Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us,
    for we have had more than enough of contempt. 
Our soul has had more than its fill
    of the scorn of those who are at ease,
    of the contempt of the proud.      Psalm 123:3-4

When someone says, "I've had enough.  I can't do this anymore," it can mean a lot of different things depending on the situation of the one who says it.  I imagine that most all of us occasionally feel we are at wits end, that we cannot continue as things currently are.  Perhaps we have been trying very hard to do something we think is worthwhile, but we have made no real progress.  We feel our efforts are in vain, that we have not drawn any supporters to our cause, and we are ready to fold.

Perhaps we have tried to make a difference in our community, to make it a better place, but those who have power or control purse strings have thwarted us, and we are ready to give up.

But when I read the words of this morning's psalm, speaking of "the scorn of those who are at ease," this complaint seems to come from the poor.  Certainly the psalmist cannot be counted among the well off.  And that got me to wondering about how a poor person in our day might speak as the psalmist does.  "Have mercy on us, God.  The wealthy blame us for our own poverty.  Now they blame us for the nation's debt and say we should not get help with food or healthcare.  We have had more than enough of their contempt.  We can no longer bear the scorn of those who live in fine homes, drive expensive cars, and live lives of ease."

Me, sometimes I've had more than enough of a society that wants to label itself "Christian" without feeling compelled to offer healing, good news to the poor, and release to the captives, the very things that mark Jesus' ministry.

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