Bewitched

Did you know?
The TV show "Bewitched" from the sixties and seventies had a decidedly Jewish theme. The screenwriter, Sol Saks, was a Jewish man from New York. Here are just a few Jewish themes.

In several episodes there was a Menorah on the living room wall of the Stephen's home. Samantha, a witch, tries to look like a mortal. She uses her nose to do magic. In one episode she and her husband fantasize about what would happen in she was known to the world. There might be a witch burning if the neighbors knew about her. In another episode Darren introduces Samantha to a plastic surgeon that does "nose jobs." He insinuates that she probably already knows him, making a jab at the things she can do with here nose. The list goes on...

The Jewish meaning is clear. Samantha, as a witch, represents a Jewish woman who tries to look like a gentile. She is married to a "mortal", meaning she is in a mixed Jewish-Gentile marriage. The nose is also a pun since Jews are stereotyped as having big noses. If the neighbors, i.e. Christians, knew who she was, she might be in danger. The undertones continue but I think you get the picture ...

As I recently discovered this it made me ponder our treatment of not only the Jewish people but everyone who is not like us. I find it sad that so many atrocities have been done to people in the name of Christ through the centuries. The Christ that I purport to follow, while being God in flesh, is a God of love. He went out of his way to talk to a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. He welcomed Greeks and healed a Syrophoenician girl of a horrible disease. Surely a Savior that did such things would not advocate mistreatment of anyone, least of all his own flesh and blood people, the Jews.

Lord help me not see anyone as a "witch" just because he or she is different than I am. While I do not have to agree with everyone's religion I can love just the same. After all, Jesus said we would be know as His disciples by our love. Lord, help me to love.

In Christ's Service,

Spanish Pastor Jones