I found this little story interesting....
Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds. Imagine how the disciples would have been feeling. I think they would have been loving it....
"Wow, we are so successful! We've got bigger crowds than all the other Rabbis put together. We've made it! We're so blessed."
So Jesus takes them away, sits them down, and starts teaching....
"This is not blessing. This is not real success. These crowds are not the guage.
You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope.
when you feel you've lost...
when you're content with just how you are
when you're hungry and thirsty for God
when you care
when your mind and heart are right
when you help people get along
And when you're persecuted because of me."
Maybe the disciples were thinking, "What?! Persecution? Wake up and smell the adoration, J Dog! They LOVE us. You're a hero!"
But Jesus was right. The crowds are fickle. Numbers mean nothing. Those same crowds all deserted him. These same people crucified him.
He needed to tell his disciples all this, especially when things were going well.
And then he goes on...
"Let me tell you why you're here. It's bigger than this. Not just to build crowds, and grow a "successful" ministry. You're here to be salt, and light.
"Love. Shine. Give. Pray. This is the way to influence."
Mmm. Good thoughts. Good take on the passage too.
ReplyDelete