When Jesus was in the garden with his disciples, he was “greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, ‘My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.’”¹    

Hmm. 🤔 It’s interesting, isn’t it—Jesus being “greatly distressed and troubled”? It seems a bit out of character. We often forget that Jesus was human, fully man and fully God. Sometimes he struggled. But this is good news for us because we certainly know what it is like to be “greatly distressed and troubled.” And here we have proof that Jesus does too! Of course, we cannot confuse being worried with being distressed. Jesus is not worried. He is grieved—agonized, anguished, and full of sorrow—regarding what he was facing. He even asks God if there was another way to accomplish his mission! He prays, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.”²  This is a great prayer for us to repeat when we are “greatly distressed and troubled.” But be aware that God’s answer to Jesus’ request was No! And it is quite possible God’s answer to our prayer might be the same. 🤨 Why? Why does God allow us to remain “greatly distressed and troubled”? For the greater good. Always for the greater good. Jesus, “for the joy set before him endured the cross.”³   What a wonderful reminder this can be when we struggle.

But here’s the part that fascinates me the most about that garden scene. Jesus told his best friends to stay awake and be alert as he prayed. I think one reason for this was that Jesus wanted to know he was not alone, that his friends were close by and cared that he was struggling, that they would want to be with him during those agonizing moments. But they fell asleep. Imagine! Falling asleep as your best friend was crying out in distress! 😟 Jesus woke them three times pleading with them to stay awake, but they didn’t. How disappointing! And it bothered Jesus. He asked Peter, “Could you not watch one hour?”⁴  Make no mistake: it bothered him. 😟

It is difficult to admit, but we must: we all let people down. Here’s the short list for Jesus. His nearest and dearest colleagues fell asleep on him while he suffered alone, and then one of the original twelve followers Judas disclosed where Jesus would be allowing soldiers to arrest him, and then his right hand man Peter denied even knowing who Jesus was, and then all the other disciples ran away when he was abducted—and those were his closest friends! And . . . when Jesus was being questioned, “many bore false witness against him.”⁵   And so.  During Jesus’ greatest time of need—everyone abandoned him. No one offered to help. No one defended him. No one walked with him to the end. How alone Jesus must have felt.

But even more intriguing than Jesus being greatly distressed or desiring the comfort of his friends or everyone running for their lives as he is taken away is his response to their disappointing behavior, for as he hung on the cross Jesus prayed the most remarkable words ever: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”⁶

And there it is—two foundational truths that we must address. Let’s look at the second one first: We do not know what we are doing! It is a humbling realization. We believe ourselves to be so smart, so reliable, so brave! And yet . . . we often let others down—our closest friends, our families, and God. Why do we do this? Because we are sinners in need of God’s help. That’s the second fundamental truth. The first is this: God forgives us!

That is the gospel in a nutshell. There is really nothing more to say except this: Happy Easter!

¹Mark 14:33-34   ²Luke 22:42      ³Hebrews 12:2     ⁴Luke 22:37      ⁵Mark 14:56     ⁶Luke 23:34

During the last supper Jesus insisted on washing the disciples’ feet. Peter argued with Jesus implying that such an act was beneath him. And it was in the midst of this discussion Jesus inserted this observation: “You are clean, but not every one of you.”¹  I imagine the disciples darted their eyes at one another and mouthed silently, What is he talking about? 🧐  

After Jesus spoke with them about how important it is to serve each other, he said this: “One of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.”²   Again the disciples were shocked and confused, so let’s pause here. The question we need to ask is why Jesus did not immediately identify Judas as the betrayer. Well . . . Peter might have attacked Judas at that point. He and the others would have done everything in their power to prevent Judas from carrying out his plan. And Jesus knew that the plan could not be stopped. But I don’t think that’s the real reason.

Note the disciples’ response to Jesus’ statement: “they began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, ‘Is it I?’”³   They were, in fact, saying, It couldn’t be me, Lord! Lord, is it me? And although they ask the question, they really do not believe they are capable of betraying Jesus. None of us do. 😟

Then Jesus does identify the betrayer as the one “to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.”⁴  And he gives the bread to Judas and tells him to leave. So why do the others let Judas walk out the door? They “thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him ‘Buy what we need for the feast,’ or that he should give something to the poor.”⁵

The disciples simply do not believe that any one of them would abandon Jesus or the mission that they had begun. But Jesus brings the point up again! After they eat the meal, after they sing a song and are feeling strong and unified, Jesus announces: “You will all fall away.”⁶   I imagine they were hurt at the statement, that they thought, How could Jesus say that about us! ☹️ Peter could not remain silent about the accusation and boasts, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.”⁷   And then Jesus predicts Peter’s betrayal, but Peter insists: ‘“If I must die with you, I will not deny you.’ And they all said the same!”⁸

So, here’s the real reason Jesus did not clearly indicate that Judas was the betrayer: They are all betrayers! Jesus told the disciples that they would all desert him and they all boasted We would never do that! Of course, Jesus was right. Judas handed him over to the Roman soldiers. Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. And as Jesus was arrested, what happened to the other disciples? “They all left him and fled.”⁹  😮

All of us have the potential to do the unthinkable, to betray those we love, to invoke great embarrassment and shame on our families and our church and God and ourselves. We, like the disciples, are all hypocrites—a very important fact to ponder, as Isaiah wrote, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way.”¹⁰  As the apostle Paul wrote, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”¹¹  

It’s the greatest struggle of all—not doing what we hate to do. It makes no sense! 🤪 Why do we do what we hate? Two reasons: 1) Evil is stronger than we think, and 2) we are not . . . as strong as we think. And so we boast, I would never do that! And then we do! 🙁

So, what are we to do? Confess our sin, yes. Accept God’s forgiveness, yes. But more than that. We are to recognize the power of evil and combat it daily. Daily. We should “in all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.”¹²  With the shield, we are protected. What is so powerful about the shield of faith? It is where we humbly crouch underneath God’s power instead of relying on our own. Without the shield, we arrogantly boast I would never do that! With the shield, we realize Yeah, I would.

¹ John 13:11     ² Mark 14:18     ³ Mark 14:19     ⁴John 13:26     ⁵ John 13:29     ⁶ Mark 14:27    ⁷ Mark 14:29    ⁸ Mark 14:31     ⁹ Mark 14:50      ¹⁰ Isaiah 53:6     ¹¹ Romans 7:15    ¹² Ephesians 6:16

Matthew was a tax collector. He “stole” from the Jews by overtaxing their income and property. Tax collectors in general were notorious at padding their own pockets with any excess they charged, and to make matters worse, they were cheating their own people. Matthew was a hated man but was protected by the Romans. He worked a secure job, lived in luxury, and held authoritative power over the citizens of Rome. But one day Jesus “saw Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he rose and followed him.” (1) By following Jesus, Matthew betrayed the very people for whom he worked. But when Jesus called his name, he simply quit his job.

Simon was a Zealot. The Zealots hated the government and planned violent attacks on Roman soldiers and politicians. They especially hated tax collectors because they saw them as traitors to the nation of Israel. By following Jesus, Simon betrayed the Zealots to whom he had pledged his life. He gave up his friends, his political viewpoints, and his purpose. And . . . he found himself serving alongside a tax collector! 😏

Simon and Matthew traveled together, lived together, served Jesus together. Add a few callous fishermen and other men of various backgrounds to that traveling group and we have quite a colorful array of disciples. Jesus chose these guys over the religious, the educated, and the esteemed in the community. How unimpressive this group must have been to everyone else! However, their lives were all radically changed by Jesus. They eventually became great leaders in the early church.  I love reading about and learning from all the disciples.

All except one.

“Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?’” (2) Wait. What? 😮 One of the twelve did that? How does that happen? How does someone travel around with Jesus for three years, and then hand him over to the authorities to be arrested in exchange for a few dollars? What kind of person was Judas, really?

Remember the scene where Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with expensive oil? Here’s Judas’ reaction to Mary’s gesture. ‘“Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’” (3) So Judas was an advocate of the poor? No. He just appeared that way. John, writing in retrospect, adds this: “He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.” (4) 😮

So, Judas was a thief. But so was Matthew, really. And Simon the Zealot was a violent guy. And Peter denied even knowing Jesus when he was pressed. And James and John asked Jesus for special privileges. And Thomas had his doubts about Jesus. As did John the Baptist! They all had their flaws and insecurities. Jesus recognized this about them. After the Passover meal, Jesus told the disciples, “You will all fall away.” (5) (And they did!) During that meal Jesus told them that someone in the group would betray him. And they all looked around and asked, “Is it I, Lord?” (6) And even when he identifies Judas as the guy, none of them believe it to be true. Nobody ever suspected Judas would do such a thing. Judas appeared to be as much of a follower of Jesus as the rest of them.

So, what’s my point? Anyone can appear to be a follower of Jesus. True, but that’s not the real point. The real point is that at any point, our lives can be radically changed by Jesus. And—at any point, we can fail him miserably. 😟 But here’s the thing—it does not matter what we have done, who we have become, how bad we think we are, or how often and how recently we have failed him—Jesus still loves us and invites us to follow him. Think about it. Jesus chose Judas to be part of his small group. He washed his feet! 😮 Jesus loved . . . Judas!

1) Matthew 9:9     2) Matthew 26:14     3) John 12:5      4) John 12:6      5) Mark 14:27     6) Matthew 26:22

Jesus implored the disciples to follow him. And they did. But then one day he said this to them: “Where I am going you cannot come.” (1) So . . . they were not to follow? It confused Peter, and he asked, “Lord, where are you going?” (2) Jesus repeated, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” (2) So . . . not now but later? Peter, still confused, asked, “Lord, why can I not follow you? I will lay down my life for you.” (3)

Sometimes it is confusing to be a follower of Jesus. We (like Peter) are ready and willing to go anywhere but there are days (or maybe seasons) when the direction is unclear.  We (like Peter) demand clarification and explain to Jesus that we want to give our lives for him. We claim we will do anything! And we really believe this. 😬

But Jesus knows us better than we do ourselves. He responds to Peter, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.” (4) At that point Peter begins to argue with Jesus. I imagine others might have defended him! 😲 Perhaps the moment became quite tense because the next thing Jesus says is this: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” (5) He told them not to worry about it.

But we do. And so did Peter. We just want to know where to go, what to do. Instructions, please, Jesus! So to instill faith in the disciples, Jesus says, “you know the way to where I am going.” (6) But this only confuses Thomas (and us) even more. Thomas responds, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” (7)  In other words, We really don’t know the way, Jesus. Give us the details, Jesus.

But God rarely does. Give us the details. Why is that? Because knowing the details eliminates the need for faith. God wants us to trust him with the details. But still . . . the question Thomas asks is relevant. How are we to know which way to go? And here is the very simple (yet quite complex) answer that Jesus gives him: “I am the way.” (8) In other words—Know me. Study me. Watch me. Learn from me. And you will know what to do and where to go when you need to know it. And, unfortunately, not a moment before. 😉 Why? Because . . . knowing ahead of time eliminates the need for faith. “For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (9)

Well, this is quite difficult, don’t you agree? 😟 But I think Philip began to understand what Jesus was talking about. He responded, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” (10) So as we pray for direction—where to go, what to do—we need to remember Jesus’ words: “Believe in God.” And respond like Philip, “It is enough.”

In the meantime, here is a good example of walking in faith. “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” (11)

Abraham did not question. He just “went out, not knowing where he was going.” 🤔

1) John 13:33       2) John 13:36      3) John 13:37      4) John 13:38      5) John 14:1      6) John 14:4      7) John 14:5     8) John 14:6        9) Romans 8:24-25    10) John 14:8    11) Hebrews 11:8

Jesus told Peter and Andrew, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (1) Then he found James and John, “and he called them.” (2) Later Jesus “found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’” (3) And then he saw Matthew “sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’” (4) We also read where Jesus “called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles.” (5) Every one of these guys answered Jesus’ call to follow. We know all their names. 🙂

But there was one guy—actually one “of the disciples” (6)—who did not follow when he was called. Jesus told him “Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, let me first go and . . .’’ (7) It really does not matter what his excuse was. The point is, is that he had one. 😕

But I think he believed in Jesus and his message. He might have heard the famous Sermon on the Mount. He probably witnessed Jesus healing the sick. He must have spent time with Jesus. He was, after all, one “of the disciples.” He just wasn’t ready to let Jesus change his life. And Jesus knew that about him—which is probably why he challenged him with “Follow me.” But his answer to Jesus was “Later.”

There are many who have answered Jesus’ call the same way: “Not now, Jesus. I have some things I need to do first, but definitely later I will follow you.” The problem is that “later” rarely comes. But these folks really do believe in Jesus—they just don’t want their lives to be changed by him. They think that following Jesus means giving up things. And they are right! But probably wrong about what those things are. 🧐

So, what’s the point here? Jesus said this about believing in him: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (8) Believing in Jesus takes care of eternal destiny, which is no small thing. But there’s more. Jesus said this about following him: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (9) Hmm. 🤔 That sounds much harder. And it is. It’s actually life changing. But most people would rather live their lives their own way. Here’s the result of that: “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” (10)

In other words, when we refuse to follow Jesus, we are “saving” our life—living life our way. The result? We will lose it in the end. And it will be a great waste of time. But if we “lose” our life for Jesus—give it up for him—our life will be saved! We will actually find the purpose for our life, the reason we were created. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (11)

It’s our choice though—following Jesus or simply believing in him. What was Jesus’ response to the disciple who told Jesus, “Later”? He told him to leave that excuse behind and challenged him to “go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” (12) So, did he? Well . . .😕 since we never learn this guy’s name . . . I doubt it.

And that’s the problem with promising to follow later.

1) Matthew 4:19     2) Matthew 4:21    3) John 1:49    4) Mark 2:14    5) Luke 6:13    6) Matthew 8:21    7) Luke 9:59    8) John 3:16     9) Luke 9:23   10) Luke 9:24   11) Ephesians 2:10    12) Luke 9:60

“The whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.” (1) The Israelites were angry that things were difficult for them as they began their journey to the Promised Land. But hey! 🤨 They were worried about their future—where they would find food and water, how they would provide for their families on the trip. These were real problems. They were simply reporting to Moses and Aaron their concerns. They were making sure their leaders understood the gravity of the situation. They were addressing issues that needed addressing. So, was their grumbling justified?

Hmm. 🤔 Let’s think about this one. It is easy for us to judge these Israelites quickly and harshly. But what about us? Do we grumble? Do we have good reasons for our complaints? Do we report problems to our leaders and say we are being proactive? We call it troubleshooting, right? Or are we really just grumbling?

How are we to handle the problems that we face? Here’s what Paul has to say: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing.” (2). That’s pretty clear, isn’t it? 🙄 So, does that mean we are to ignore our problems? Well, maybe. Some problems are not problems at all. With a little patience, many things just seem to work themselves out. So, I think our first response to a problem is to wait. Why? Because the “crooked and twisted generation,” (the world around us) will not.  And we need to “shine as lights in the world” for these folks, “holding fast to the word of life.” (3) We are called to respond differently!

However, given the opportunity, most of us love to complain about  . . . whatever! But here’s what we are supposed to be doing with . . . whatever: “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (4) Instead of focusing on the bad things so often,  Paul reminds us to “think about these things.” It’s called being grateful.

Here’s another thought. What was the response of Moses and Aaron when the “whole congregation” complained? They told them, “What are we, that you grumble against us?” (5) Hmm. 🧐 You see, Moses and Aaron were doing the best they could. They were following God’s orders, acting on faith that God would provide and lead and protect and fulfill his promises. Here’s what Paul says about how to treat our leaders. “We ask you brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.” (6) It’s a tough job, leading. Those who are over us need our love and respect—not our opinions on everything.

But here’s the most amazing thing about our grumbling. Moses told the Israelites: “Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.” (7) God consoled his people, took care of their problems, and then reminded that they could always trust this fact: “You shall know that I am the Lord your God.” (8)

God is gracious to us. And takes care of us!  How kind. How merciful. How loving. He repeats over and over to us:  “Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (9)  Here is the final thought on the matter: God hears our grumbling. Hmm. 😟

1) Exodus 16:2      2) Philippians 2:14   3) Philippians 2:15-16   4) Philippians 4:8   5) Exodus 16:7     6) 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13    7) Exodus 16:9    8) Exodus 16:12    (9) Joshua 1:9

John the Baptist told his followers that repentance (not goodness) was the way to be forgiven but then demanded this: “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance.” (1) Hmm. 🤔 This seems a bit hypocritical. First, John renounces the Pharisaical idea that we need to be good to receive God’s forgiveness. Then he says we must bear fruit—which sounds like we need to be good. And then John adds this warning: “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (2) Hmm. 🧐 It sounds like we need to bear fruit! I’m a bit perplexed!

The crowds were confused too. “And the crowds asked him, ‘What then shall we do?’ (3). And the tax collectors also asked, ‘Teacher, what shall we do?’ (4). And the soldiers asked, ‘And we, what shall we do?’ (5) And John told them. In summary, he gave them specific instructions that they must extend mercy to people. In other words, be good to people!  Hmm. 🤨 But what does that have to do with repentance? Everything.

A tree is known by its fruit. If a tree bears oranges, it is an orange tree. If an orange tree does not bear fruit, what good is it? We are known by what we produce, the fruit of our labors. If we have received mercy, then we must be merciful. If we have received mercy but are not merciful, then what good are we?

But still, it is not about our being good! The fact is, we will not bear fruit unless we are fruit trees! And so, if we are not bearing fruit, we must question if we really are who we say we are. And that was John’s point! We can spend our lives trying to be someone we are not, trying to be good people, trying to earn God’s grace, or we can give up that futile endeavor and give our lives to Christ instead, who will then begin to live in us . . . and bear fruit. And we can say with Paul, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (6)

The Christian life is not a matter of being good. The Christian life is not even about doing good. It is about letting Christ live through us so that good things can be done. If we are producing no fruit, we must conclude that something is desperately wrong. John is simply telling everyone (good and bad) that orange trees produce oranges. If there are no oranges only two things are possible: 1) the tree is not an orange tree after all. Or 2) the roots are so unhealthy they are preventing fruit from being produced.

John is exposing the undeniable truth that the root of the matter is our hearts, and our fruit will reveal the state of our hearts. If we are deceiving others (and ourselves) with mere lip service, we are acting like a brood of vipers! And so, here is the answer to the very important question, What then shall we do? We need to repent, be forgiven, and allow Christ to rule in our hearts. Then the next question for us is this: How rooted are we in Christ? The answer? Our fruits will show.

1) Luke 23:8      2) Luke 3:9     3) Luke 3:10    4) Luke 3:12    5) Luke 3:14     6) Galatians 2:20  

John, the son of Zechariah “went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” (1) And so the crowds came—“priests and Levites from Jerusalem” (2) and “tax collectors who came to be baptized” (3) and “many of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (4) as well as “soldiers” (5) and just regular folks. Crowds of them. How exciting for John! He was fulfilling his calling in life: “crying out in the wilderness ‘Prepare the way of the Lord.” (6) So what did he cry out to the multitudes who came to hear him? “You brood of vipers!” (7) In other words, “You snakes!” 😮

Wait. What? 😦 That is not very encouraging! Aren’t we called to encourage others who are seeking God? Well 🤔 . . . yes. And no. Before reassuring others in their pursuits, we need to know what exactly they are pursuing and why. To be clear, John was probably specifically addressing the Pharisees and Sadducees with his metaphorical indictment. He was outraged at the hypocrisy of the religious leaders and refuted their claim that they had received God’s forgiveness based on their boast: “We have Abraham as our father.” (8) His point? Who your daddy is, is irrelevant! 😠 Everyone is a sinner—even the most religious Jew. Contrary to their antiquated (and our popular) belief, godly living is not how we receive God’s forgiveness! John’s message was not that we should be godly. It was not even that we should seek God! John’s message was “Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”(9) In other words, “Change!” Change what? Our way of thinking—thinking that we are good enough for God. Or thinking that we are not good enough for God. Change that!

The fact is, those who seek God are usually good people. And we must not encourage people to believe that God is impressed by their goodness. Why? That’s exactly what the Pharisees and Sadducees believed! That they were good enough for God because they were seeking to live a godly life. And. And . . . we must not encourage everyone else (who is not good) that God is repulsed by their sinfulness! That they are not good enough to receive God’s forgiveness! The message John had for everyone was the same: “Repent!” Change your thinking about what God wants from you!

It is our nature to want to earn love from others—in every dimension of our lives—with our jobs, our friends, our spouses, and so, too, our God. The fact is, however, some people find it easier to be loved (to be good) than others do. Perhaps it is due to their upbringing or their genes or their culture or their education . . . who knows, really, why some people are “good” at being good! They proclaim, “I am good! Why is forgiveness necessary?” To which God says, “Because you cannot earn my love!”  Others are really bad at being good!  They proclaim, “I am bad! How is forgiveness possible?” To which God says, “Because you cannot earn my love!”

The conclusion of the matter is this: it does not matter to God—how good you are or how bad you are. The message is still the same: Change! Turn from your wicked or good ways and submit to God’s ways and then forgiveness is accessible, available, achievable and yours for the asking! And then—your life will change! For you will be changed—deep in your heart, where behaviors (good and bad) go to die!

And then John adds this little nugget: “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance!” (8) Wait. What? 😦 Isn’t that like doing good things? Well 🤔. . . yes. And no. Ponder on that one until next time. 😉

One thing at a time, people. 😏

1) Luke 3:3     2) John 1:19    3) Luke 3:12    4) Matthew 3:7      5) Luke 3:14     6) Luke 3:4     7) Luke 3:7     8) Luke 3:8      9) Matthew 3:2

By nature, we look for comfort. We want the elite place with the optimal view next to our favorite people. The disciples James and John wanted that, too. They asked Jesus this favor: “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” (1) They wanted to be near Jesus, the best seat in the house. What is so wrong with that? Well, nothing—except everything. 🤨 And Jesus explained to them that they really did not know what they were asking. But that wasn’t the worst of it. The worst part was this: “And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.” (2) Their request created dissension. The disciples probably felt James and John were acting like they deserved better treatment than the rest. But if they were honest with themselves, they would have to admit that their anger was a reflection of their own selfish jealousy of wanting the same thing. After all, if they did not want to sit next to Jesus then they would not mind who did, right? 😏

Well, Jesus set them straight by discussing the concepts of greatness and servanthood. But I like the parable Jesus told at another time when the issue arose again with the Pharisees. (It’s a problem for everyone!) Here’s what he said.

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him.” (3) We love being honored, don’t we? Getting preferential treatment usually feels right. After all, we are good people. We deserve respect. But it is best to remember that there are always people who deserve more honor than we do. Point #1: Don’t take the best seat in the house. Why? 🤔

Because “he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place.” (4) Thinking we are better than others can only lead to humiliation. There is no place to go but down! Point #2: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” (5)

So, here’s the advice: “But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place.” (6) Next time you are invited to a gathering, take the worst seat in the house. Instead of the comfy recliner, take the hard cold metal folding chair. The one that is in the back corner, away from the food. And the TV. And the music. And your close friends. The one next to the awkward weird guy. Point #3: Look for the worst seat. Why? 🤔 

“So that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’” (6)  Point #4: It is better to be elevated by someone else and not yourself. “Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.” (7)

And then this might (not always) but might happen: “Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (8) God is not opposed to us being honored. He is, however, “opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (9) We are never to pursue honor. God and most people I know have no patience with a haughty spirit. Point #5: Take no pride in being honored. Instead, be humbled by it. For with humility comes grace.

And who doesn’t need grace?

(1) Mark 10:37     (2) Mark 10:41    (3) Luke 14:8    (4) Luke 14:9    (5) Proverbs 16:18    (6) Luke 14:10    (7) Proverbs 27:2    (8) Luke 14:10-11     (9) 1 Peter 5:5

TRUE STORY: Of Mice and Men

It’s a great story—Of Mice and Men, published in 1937 by John Steinbeck. The story follows two migrant workers, George and Lennie, as they travel around searching for work during the Great Depression era. The title of the book is taken from the poem “To a Mouse,” published in 1785 by the Scottish poet Robert Burns. It’s the story of a farmer who accidentally plows through a nest of mice displacing them and forcing them to find a new home. The famous line is “The best-laid schemes of mice and men go oft awry.”

I taught both literary pieces when I was an educator and I highly recommend them to everyone. (But make sure you read the English translation of the poem because the original Scots language can be a wee bit tricky. 😬)

My story about mice and men is not as inspiring but it’s mine, so here goes.

A couple of days ago while working in my home office, my sweet cat Wendy darted in the room. She jumped on my desk, walked on the keyboard of my laptop and wrote kjgl dlg algjaj; lk; skakl; lskd ak;akd/////////////, which I promptly deleted, and then she hopped down on the floor and ran under Mark’s desk. I tried to continue writing but Wendy scooted behind the draperies and began pawing at something. It was then I realized we were not alone!

I turned around to see the tail of something scurry behind the trash can. I moved the can and the thing ran behind the desk, as did Wendy. But she was too big to squeeze into the small area where our little friend was hiding. I grabbed a flashlight and crawled underneath the desk and saw a very large dark grey furry mouse-like creature staring at me. We both jumped and he ran the other direction. For thirty minutes Wendy and I played “cat and mouse.” The mouse was winning and I was growing weary of the search so I called Mark for reinforcement.

It was early morning and Mark was still asleep but I walked into the bedroom and said sternly, “MARK! WE HAVE A CREATURE IN THE HOUSE!” Being familiar with my tone, he jumped out of bed and followed me to the office.

“Get a towel,” he told me. “I’ll make it run your direction and you throw the towel on it and grab it.” And then he paused and asked, “Are you okay with this or does it make you skittish?”

“I’m fine. Let’s do it. I can’t get any work done until this thing is out of our house!”  It took about 10 more minutes before Mark scared it my way. The monster mouse revealed himself and Mark screamed, “AAAHHHH!” (It was a big mouse!)  I dropped the towel, grabbed it, and we hurried out the front door and let it go. We stood and watched it scurry away. Mission accomplished.

The next morning, while working in my home office, my sweet cat Wendy darted in the room. She jumped on my desk, walked on the keyboard of my laptop and wrote kjgl dlg algjaj; lk; skakl; lskd ak;akd/////////////, which I promptly deleted, and then she hopped down on the floor and ran under Mark’s desk. I tried to continue writing but Wendy scooted behind the draperies and began pawing at something. It was then I realized we were not alone! Again.

This mouse, however, was tiny, light grey, with little pink ears, and when he peeked his head out and saw me, I think he smiled. For thirty minutes Wendy and I played “cat and mouse.” But this little guy was quicker and smarter. So we both gave up. Wendy left the room and I went back to work.

Later on that evening, Mark and I were relaxing in the living room watching TV. And the little mouse walked in. “Oh,” I said to Mark. “I forgot to tell you. We have another mouse in the house.”  We both jumped up and the game was on! After 20 minutes, we gave up. Mark found a mouse trap, globbed some peanut butter on it, set the trigger, placed it near the fireplace where we last saw the mouse disappear, and we sat back down.

Not too much later, the little mouse peeked his head out of his hiding place, looked both ways, and walked into the room. Wendy the cat and Maggie the dog were asleep on the couch, unaware of our visitor. So I think he felt safe. He walked back and forth a bit and then discovered Maggie’s water dish. He climbed up over the rim of the dish and proceeded to take a long drink.  Then he saw the trap and walked over to it. He pulled on the trap, knocked it around a bit, and then began eating the peanut butter. When he was finished, he walked back into his hiding place. And I guess he went to bed because he never returned.

And now I truly understand Robert Burns’ line: “The best-laid schemes of mice and men go oft awry.”

I think I’ll name my mouse Mickey.

🐁