At first glance, Paul seemed to be for slavery and against marriage. His advice was to stay in the state in which you were called - not about being slave or free, married or single. But that was because the 'time was growing short' and the 'world was passing away.' Paul expected the return of the Lord momentarily, followed by the final judgment and a transformed world. Slavery, marriage, and all human institutions would no longer exist. We cannot follow this advice today - much time has passed. But we can focus on serving the Lord and not clinging to worldly status or labels. In a sense, the Lord comes to us each day, and we either embrace him or turn away by our words, thoughts, and actions.

Luke also expected an immediate transformation. He blessed those who were hungry, poor, or weeping - their status would soon change and they would be happy. Those who were content, prosperous, and powerful were warned that they would soon lose all that they had and would be unhappy indeed. No one is guaranteed power or prosperity, and when it is misused, it can be taken away. God does not tolerate injustice and cruelty, and in the end, God's justice always wins. It is also important for us to labour in the Lord's vineyard by working for justice and peace in our world. Let us use wisely and justly what we have and reach out to those who are struggling.