Melchizedek

And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. He blessed (Abram) and said, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High who has delivered your enemies into your hand!" And Abram gave him one tenth of everything. -Genesis 14:18-19

Most of the commentary I've read about King Melchizedek claims that he is perhaps Jesus.  He brings out bread and wine.  He was priest of God Most High. His name means "King of Righteousness."    He was king of Salem and "Salem" means "peace." He blessed Abram.  Abram gave him one tenth of everything. References to Melchizedek in Psalms and Hebrews add further evidence to this speculation.  I like to think this was Jesus.

How awesome if it was!  The story of God's people often seems so exclusive.  It begins with the Hebrew's being God's chosen people.  The Christian story arises out of it.  There are rules to belonging to either group.  But here comes this guy out of seemingly nowhere who obviously has a close relationship with God.  He is not from the side of the tracks that one would expect.  

I love that we see this appearance of Jesus as an "outsider."  It teaches us that someone we think of as outside the Christian tradition might still know a thing or two about God.  And maybe we can be blessed be them.  And maybe it might be Christ himself blessing us.  

God of All,

Help us to listen to others with religious traditions different from our own.  None of us has all the answers except you and maybe we can have a deeper knowledge of you if we listen.  Amen.