light for the slighted
"At these words the whole audience in the synagogue was filled with indignation." —Luke 4:28
When the Lord does something for someone but not for you, do you compare yourself with the other person and feel slighted by God? Jesus told His hometown folk that, although many Jewish widows needed financial help during a three-and-a-half year famine brought on by the prophet Elijah, none of the Jewish widows were helped. Instead, a foreign widow received Elijah's aid (Lk 4:25-26). Moreover, Israel had many lepers in Elisha's day, but none of them was healed. God, however, healed the foreigner, Naaman (Lk 4:27).
Jesus unfavorably compared His people with foreigners, not to make them feel inferior or slighted, but to call them to repentance. They refused His call and tried to throw Him over a cliff (Lk 4:29-30). When we feel slighted, we are going to try to throw over a cliff either Jesus or our selfish, prideful sinfulness. Let's be like Naaman eventually was. Let's throw away our pride, repent, and humbly obey the Lord (see 2 Kgs 5:11ff).
Thank God when others are being blessed in ways that you're not or healed when you're not. Thank God that others are getting much more of God's attention. This is a call for you to repent.
Prayer: Father, remove pride from my heart, no matter if You seem to have slighted me.
Promise: "Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." —2 Kgs 5:14
Praise: St. John wrote, "Whenever I see so many poor brothers and neighbors...with many physical and mental ills which I cannot alleviate, then I become exceedingly sorrowful; but I trust in Christ."
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, July 23, 1998
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July 27, 1998