even

Do not fear, O soil; be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things! Do not fear, you animals of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit, the fig tree and vine give their full yield. O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in the LORD your God; for he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the later rain, as before. The threshing floors shall be full of grain, the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. I will repay you for the years
that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent against you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, the LORD, am your God and there is no other. And my people shall never again be put to shame. Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. (Joel 2:21-29, NRSV)

Everything in all of creation has ne need to worry because God is in control.

As I read this passage this time, I was struck by the last verse, “Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit.”

Now that is saying something. We mostly look over it, but this is huge.

Almost as big as “your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.” Now sons prophesying is one thing. And that would be big if you had a son who could prophesy, but a daughter, or a slave!

I mean why would God waste His time on daughters and slaves?

Now don’t get me wrong, I know why God is giving the gift to daughters and slaves, because all flesh, everyone gets the gift, but in Joel’s day, or the day before Jesus, daughters were property, and slaves were even lower property.

So these statements are huge! God is giving His gift to everyone, including those whom you deem less than worthy of the gift.

So remember that today, that God’s gift is God’s gift and He can give to whom He pleases whether we find them worthy or not.