Bread and a broken heart

Today: Mark 8-9

If I said or wrote, "I have a broken heart," what would you think?

You may think that I fell in love and lost it. You might think I got laid off. Or you could assume that some serious health issue was plaguing me, my family or a close friend.

But would you ever guess that I'd say, "I have a broken heart" because my friends were hungry?

Didn't think so.

(And by the way, I don't have that kind of a broken heart at the moment. These are the little mind games you can play as a writer for dramatic effect...mwah ha ha.) :)

But in today's chapters in Mark, Jesus did:

At about this same time he again

found himself with a hungry crowd on his hands.

He called his disciples together and said,

"This crowd is breaking my heart.

They have stuck with me for three days,

and now they have nothing to eat.

If I send them home hungry,

they'll faint along the way—

some of them have come a long distance."

Interesting. Most of the time when I think of Jesus having a broken heart, it's because of something more serious-- a man who is blind, a woman bleeding non stop, a little girl who is dead. But He gets a broken heart when people are hungry?

Let's be clear--the kind of hunger in this chapter doesn't even seem as compelling as those ads for World Vision with starving children with wide-eyed pain staring at you from the screen. The hungry people Jesus saw were not suffering because of a famine or widespread poverty. They were mostly regular people who just listened to Him and were so drawn into His message that they didn't stop to eat. That's all. But their hunger breaks Jesus' heart.

So what does He do? He multiples seven loaves of bread and feeds thousands. It's a miracle--but it's a miracle that meets a very basic, practical need.

When I think about this story, I think of people who believe God doesn't really care about them. They may believe God exists, but feel like He's got bigger issues (world poverty, war, famine, etc.) to deal with than providing them with a job, a roof over their heads, transportation or food for their family. But Jesus is different--this chapter shows us that His heart breaks over things like that. He cares--about the big things in our lives, but also the basic things.

It's interesting in these chapters that the topic of bread comes up again. A few paragraphs later, the disciples start arguing because they forgot to bring food on a trip. Here's Jesus' interesting reaction:

Jesus overheard and said,

"Why are you fussing because you forgot bread?

Don't you see the point of all this?

Don't you get it at all?

Remember the five loaves I broke for the five thousand?

How many baskets of leftovers did you pick up?"
They said, "Twelve."
And the seven loaves for the four thousand—

how many bags full of leftovers did you get?"
"Seven."
He said, "Do you still not get it?"

I think Jesus' questions show us that He was trying to teach the disciples...and us...something through these stories. What do you think it was?

I'm guessing that it's something like this--God cares about you and your specific needs. He takes care of you. Remember that He took care of you before. He'll do it again. And He's bigger than your expectations--He can give you more than you need. He keeps His promises. Believe it--and remember.

Tomorrow: Mark 10-11

When the truth hurts...

Today: Mark 6-7

Have you ever had someone tell you the truth--like REALLY tell you the truth?

Particularly if it's about something that's not right about you or your life, the truth is not always easy to hear. You can choose to be angry. You can choose to cry. You can try to ignore it. But you can't deny the fact that you heard.

When this has happened to me, I've had different responses. Sometimes, I'm really angry at the person speaking the truth. But usually, I am more angry at myself. I know the truth is right and so is the person who speaks it. And I HATE not being right. :)

I also know that people who tell me the truth are the same people who REALLY love me. And as much as I could try to shake off what they say, I don't want to let go of their love...their willingness to speak the truth is part of how they love me. In those cases, the truth binds us closer together.

I was a bit surprised to learn in this passage that Herod experienced something similar with John the Baptist. Take a look:

Herod was the one who had ordered the arrest of John,

put him in chains,

and sent him to prison at the nagging of Herodias,

his brother Philip's wife.

For John had provoked Herod

by naming his relationship with Herodias

"adultery."

Herodias, smoldering with hate,

wanted to kill him,

but didn't dare because

Herod was in awe of John.

Convinced that he was a holy man,

he gave him special treatment.

Whenever he listened to him

he was miserable with guilt -

and yet he couldn't stay away.
Something in John kept pulling him back.

What's really sad about this situation is the fact that Herod eventually ordered John the Baptist's beheading. Although part of him KNEW John spoke the truth, he tried to ignore it--allowing the seductive voice of a woman to take precedence over a voice that spoke truth. (Note to guys--this too can happen to you. Note to women--Use your influential power carefully.)

I think there's something interesting in this example for all of us. Telling the truth can be a risk (John paid for it with his life). But if we really care about others, telling the truth (good things, too!) is essential.

I've heard people talk about "telling the truth in love" and I get what they're saying...it's about having the right approach and motivation, choosing words carefully, etc. But I think it's time we started to believe that, "telling the truth is love."

Tomorrow: Mark 8-9

Seeing the story

Today: Mark 4-5

Telling stories was a skill Jesus mastered. Most often, I think that His stories were designed to give people a tiny glimpse of what the kingdom of God means, what God is like and how God desires people to respond to Him.

In these two chapters, the Story of the Scattered Seed really exemplifies that. But it's interesting how some people just don't get it...even after Jesus explains what the story means. He tells the disciples:

"You've been given insight into God's kingdom—

you know how it works.

But to those who can't see it yet,

everything comes in stories,

creating readiness, nudging them toward receptive insight.

These are people—

Whose eyes are open but don't see a thing,

Whose ears are open but don't understand a word,

Who avoid making an about-face and getting forgiven."

Sometimes I think Jesus could have been frustrated. If I would have been in His shoes, at times, I would have wanted to say, "HELLO? Don't you people get it yet?!?"

But He had this overwhelming love for people. He had insight and understanding to try and meet them where they were at. I think in some cases, He felt saddened by their disarrayed states of blindness, deafness or stubborn pride. He made an effort to connect with these people through stories...hoping that the simplicity of examples would help them to see, hear and turn toward the truth.

Tomorrow: Mark 6-7

Patients and persistence

Today: Mark 1-3

I hate waiting. More specifically, I REALLY hate waiting at doctors' offices, hospitals or dentists' offices. They all have this weird...medicinal...smell (or maybe it's a smelly fish tank in the lobby?). And as much as I love reading magazines, why is it that at these medical offices, I still end up stuck with Sports Illustrated, Highlights or something utterly fascinating...like Chiropractic Today? (Note to self: Stash a copy of InStyle or People in your purse next time!)

Fact: I'm a patient without much patience.

The people Jesus encountered weren't like me. At all. Many of them waded through thick crowds just to touch Him. One guy in this passage had friends that tore off part of a roof just so they could lower him to Jesus. Some of the people in this passage are what Jesus called "sin-sick"--"disreputable" people who "unlikely as it seems" became His followers. But there's one guy, a leper, whose story spoke to me today:

A leper came to him, begging on his knees,

"If you want to, you can cleanse me."
Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said,

"I want to. Be clean."

Then and there the leprosy was gone,

his skin smooth and healthy.

The leper's words are interesting, "If you want to, you can cleanse me." I don't believe these words were spoken out of timidity, but confidence--like, "If you choose, I know you can heal me." The words and the heart "deeply moved" Jesus (Wow! What would that be like?). I love how in this story, Jesus doesn't just display His power, but His desire to heal the leper. There's a difference between the capability and the will to help others...and Jesus had both.

The next part of the story was also interesting:

Jesus dismissed him with strict orders:

"Say nothing to anyone.

Take the offering for cleansing

that Moses prescribed and present yourself to the priest.

This will validate your healing to the people."

But as soon as the man was out of earshot,

he told everyone he met what had happened,

spreading the news all over town.

So Jesus kept to out-of-the-way places,

no longer able to move freely in and out of the city.

But people found him, and came from all over.

Jesus asked the leper to stay quiet, but his joy was overwhelmingly contagious. He actually disobeyed Jesus' instruction...but I don't think Jesus was mad. He likely understood the leper's gratitude and joy. News of the leper's healing became so widespread that Jesus couldn't stay undercover. But was He ever meant to?

Tomorrow: Mark 4-5

What stood out most to you?

Today: Matthew 27-28

"What stood out most to you?" is probably one of the best questions for starting a discussion. (Try it some time after a movie, art exhibit, vacation or at a small group meeting).

After I read today's passage, I asked myself that question. I can't think of a specific theme today, so this will be a somewhat random collection of things that stood out:

• What would it be like to be infamous--marked by history as part of something evil? I'll admit--this is a really odd question. But I thought of it after reading about how the Pharisees purchased a field with the money Judas was paid to betray Jesus. Their actions were prophesied by Jeremiah--but a priest part of the situation probably felt like he was just "part of the crowd."
  
  
• The actions of one generation impact the next...and beyond. The people who demanded Jesus' death pleaded with Pilate to crucify Him. They said, ""We'll take the blame, we and our children after us." What kind of actions are we taking today that will impact the next generation?
  
  
• The patient love of Jesus. It baffles my mind to think of what He endured--unjustly--on the cross. He was beaten, mocked, misunderstood, and tortured by people who just didn't see Him for who He is. Yet through it all, He remained strong, kind, compassionate and determined. Wow.
  
  
• Something I never noticed before--people who came to life as Jesus died. This was an interesting thing to discover. What would it have felt like to be one of those people or one of their family members? What would be like to suddenly come to life again because someone else lost His? How would your life be changed?
  
  
• The resurrected Jesus first appeared to women. This is kind of interesting to me because of the culture at the time--women were second-class citizens. Why would God in the flesh show up first to them? Why would He entrust the message of His resurrection to them? Maybe it's just because they were there and they were faithful. I honestly don't know--but I think it's interesting.
  
  
• Some of the disciples missed out on seeing and worshipping Jesus after He came to life. I never really noticed this before, either. It says, "Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally." Hmm...this reminds me of the "What kind of investor is God?" post from a few days ago. All of Jesus' friends and followers weren't ready to go "all in" or live "all out" for Him.
  
  Can you imagine being one of those people...a few days or a few years later? I think I would have always wondered, "What would have happened if I would have been there? What if I could have seen Jesus one more time? What if I had lived on the edge and worshipped Him?"
  
  
• Before He left for heaven, Jesus made a promise. When I started reading Matthew, one of my first posts was about how God keeps promises...and how the writer of Matthew continually reminded us of them. It's interesting that as Jesus left the earth, His last recorded words in Matthew are a promise to us, "I'll be with you...day after day after day, right up to the end of the age."
  

Tomorrow: Mark 1-3

Pride, prejudice, payment, and passing out

Today: Matthew 26

Today's passage illustrates some of the saddest parts of Jesus' story. As I read, it occurred to me that the actions taken by some of Jesus' followers are tragic not only because they happened many years ago, but because they occur every single day.

I hope that by thinking about these issues, we can make a point to avoid falling into the same paths--allowing pride, prejudice, payment or passing out--to block us from seeing God's promises fulfilled.

Pride

In this chapter, Peter's actions illustrate how pride can separate us from God and His plan for our lives. I'll highlight a few of Peter's actions here:

• He said, "Even if everyone else falls to pieces on account of you, I won't."
  
• Peter cut off the ear of the Chief Priest's servant (note that Peter's name isn't given explicitly here, but is listed in John's version of the story...which we'll see later).
  

It's interesting to me that even with this intense passion or pride, Peter succumbs to denying Jesus. I think there have been many Christians who have sadly fallen into the same boat.

Prejudice

To me, the priests really represent prejudice. They are bitter at Jesus because He called them out on their sin--they have a bias against him. Some have prejudice because He's not the kind of Messiah they expected to see and therefore, they believe He's blaspheming against God.

I think there are people today who are prejudiced against God--they don't believe in Him because He doesn't fit into their ideal boxes. Some people are also prejudiced against God because they know their lives don't line up with His Word or His will--and because He called them out on their sin, they despise Him--just like the Pharisees.

Payment

Judas shows us how a love of money can block someone from God. I never noticed before that Judas first approached the high priests with his "Let's make a deal..." speech right after a woman anointed Jesus' feet with expensive perfume. There's a quote from the passage where disciples complain:

"That's criminal!

This could have been sold for a lot

and the money handed out to the poor."

I would guess that Judas was one of the disciples appalled at the money "wasted" on Jesus' feet. It's interesting to think that may have been one of the reasons why he approached the priests. Yes, Judas was probably greedy. But I think he was also appalled at extravagant generosity toward Jesus.

It's interesting that the disciples' shock actually could have merit--most people think it's a good thing to give to the poor and it is (Jesus even taught that). However, Judas' love for money (even if it was for a good cause) was greater than his desire to see Jesus worshipped...and I believe that was part of his downfall.

There are many people who allow a love for money to separate them from God. These people could have too much or too little. Many people, like Judas, chase payment while betraying God and their own consciences. Others get indignant when asked to tithe, give offerings or when they see generosity in the House of God. But Judas' example shows us that allowing your personal view of money to trump worshipping God is wrong.

Passing out

Another thing that can block people from God's promises is what I'm calling "passing out." In this passage, it was illustrated by the disciples who fell asleep when Jesus wanted them to pray with Him.

"Passing out" can be a literal sleep or laziness that stops us from being part of God's plan. I think it could also be a clueless, zombie-like Christianity--a person who believes in God, but may be clueless about what He's doing or how to be part of it. It could be a person who is passion-less, going through the motions of "doing" Christianity instead of just being the person God wants them to be.

Living in God's plan doesn't have to be difficult--we saw a few chapters back where Jesus said it takes faith like that of a small child. However, I really believe that pride, prejudice, payment or passing out can hold us back from living in God's promises. Let's instead be humble, open with our hearts and minds toward God, generous and passionate.

Tomorrow: Matthew 27-28

What kind of investor is God?

Today: Matthew 24-25

In the world of investing, there's a "risk and return" principle. Typically, investments like bonds offer lower risk, but less opportunity to earn return (sometimes they don't beat inflation, for example). On the flip side, investments like stocks usually have higher risks (as anyone invested during 2008 knows!), but greater odds for higher returns.

Financial planners often assess their clients' levels of "risk tolerance." So here's my question of the day: What kind of investor is God? What is His risk tolerance?

In today's passage, The Message includes "The Story About Investment" (commonly referenced as the Parable of the Talents). In the story, the Master gives three servants various amounts of money to invest while he is away. Two of the servants double their investments. The last servant buries the money in the ground because he was afraid to disappoint the master.

However, the master is absolutely furious with this decision. He says:

'That's a terrible way to live!
It's criminal to live cautiously like that!
If you knew I was after the best,
why did you do less than the least?
The least you could have done
would have been to invest the sum with the bankers,
where at least I would have gotten a little interest.
"'Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most.
And get rid of this "play-it-safe" who won't go out on a limb.
Throw him out into utter darkness.'

Hmm...so it sounds like God definitely isn't a "play-it-safe" investor. But this passage is about so much more than money.

Most of this chapter talks about the coming of God's kingdom, what it will look like and how He will judge mankind. I believe this passage is talking about life (again!)--God is looking for people who live and give their best for Him. He's looking for people who don't just play it safe--but who are willing to take risks and step out on a limb for His purpose.

I've heard my pastor say it like this, "God went 'all in' for us--He wants wants us to live 'all out' for Him."

Tomorrow: Matthew 26

God and grammar

Today: Matthew 22-23

I know some people will loathe this post, but I have to say it anyway--God's into grammar.

(I can already see rolling eyes...and perhaps a few cheers from high school English teachers or fellow writers.)

How do I know for sure? And more importantly, why does it even matter? I'll explain (of course!).

In one section of the text, Jesus had a discussion with some Saducees (religious leaders who didn't believe in the concept of resurrection). I'm not really going to get into the whole debate (you can read it if you want), but I will share this interesting tidbit:

And regarding your speculation

on whether the dead are raised or not,

don't you read your Bibles?

The grammar is clear:

God says, 'I am—not was—

the God of Abraham,

the God of Isaac,

the God of Jacob.'

The living God

defines himself

not as the God of dead men,

but of the living."

See what I mean?

There's a big difference between "was" and "am" or "will be." "Am" indicates the present tense--and by defining Himself as "I am," God is a "living God" to all generations--He was "I am" to the generations of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob--but He was also "I am" to the generations of Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. He's "I am" to my generation and He will be "I am" to my great-grandchildren.

Another interesting thing about this passage is the fact that while Jesus answers the leaders' question about the possibility of eternal life for humans--by describing the living, eternal nature of God, He gives them more than they asked for.

However, I may disappoint a few high school teachers and writers when I say that although God's into grammar, He's much more into lives than words. Jesus explains using yet another grammar analogy in this passage:

You're hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees!

Frauds!

You keep meticulous account books,

tithing on every nickel and dime you get,

but on the meat of God's Law,

things like fairness and compassion and commitment

—the absolute basics!—

you carelessly take it or leave it.

Careful bookkeeping is commendable,

but the basics are required.

Do you have any idea how silly you look,

writing a life story

that's wrong from start to finish,

nitpicking over commas and semicolons?

As a writer and editor, this passage makes so much sense to me. I've read many pieces where writers try too hard--they use complex words with more than four syllables, trying so sound impressive or highly intelligent. But at the end of the day, if a reader cannot understand what the heck you're saying, who cares how fancy it sounds?

As Jesus illustrated, lots of religious people try to live their lives like that--putting on fancy shows of their generosity or using complex Christian words--when they forget the basics. But your life is the story--not the semi-colons.

Kids, crooks and the Donkey Rider

Today: Matthew 20-21

If you had omnipotent power and were making a grand entrance, how would you do it?

I think I would fly on the cotton-candy pink dragon from "Neverending Story." Or soar from the sky in a stunning red vintage Valentino gown. Or perhaps I'd fly in a glass elevator like the kid from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

Yeah...those would all be pretty amazing. :) But Jesus chose just about the last mode of transportation I would ever pick. He chose...a donkey.

A donkey?

First of all, donkeys smell. They're kind of small for carrying a grown man--awkward-looking and uncomfortable. They don't steer very well (can we say stubborn?). I can't even imagine a fairytale prince riding a donkey...let alone the King of Kings and Son of God.

But that's exactly what happened. Jesus didn't roll into town in a talking car like David Haselhoff on Knight Rider...he was the ultimate Donkey Rider.

And let's talk about the people who followed Him. They weren't exactly the in-crowd at the Temple or A-list politicians. Nope--His followers included a bunch of little kids and what the Bible describes as "crooks and whores." Quite a crew, don't you think?

When I think about these things, I have such an interesting picture of Jesus. He is a God that the crooks, whores and kids felt comfortable with. He was confident and humble enough to ride on a donkey--He didn't need the hoopla of a white horse (or pink dragon, for that matter!), even though He probably deserved them. He was reach-able to people who were real, flawed, rough, simple and innocent. These people had a simple faith--but radically changed lives.

Those that stuggled most with Jesus? The religious, cynical, careless, proud and arrogant. Here's what He said to them:

I tell you that crooks and whores

are going to precede you into God's kingdom.

John came to you showing you the right road.

You turned up your noses at him,

but the crooks and whores believed him.

Even when you saw their changed lives,

you didn't care enough to change and believe him.

I typically don't count myself in the same camp as crooks and whores. But maybe I should aspire to exactly that. To care, to change and to believe with child-like faith in the power of a life-altering, donkey-riding King.

Tomorrow: Matthew 22-23

Good or God's?

Today: Matthew 18-19

"I can do it all by myself!" is a quote made famous by many toddlers, teenagers, twentysomethings...and probably those who are a bit older, too.

Many of us have an instinct to be independent. In many cases, that's a good thing--it's good to want to pay your own bills, take responsibility for your actions or have a willingness to stand up(even alone) for something that's right.

But an independent spirit can also separate us from God. How many people think, "I'm a good person--of course I'll go to heaven" or "I haven't done anything seriously wrong. I live a good life. I'm not one of those people who needs God"?

In this passage, Jesus addressed a few people like this, including a young man who asked:

"Teacher, what good thing must

I do

to get eternal life?"
Jesus said,

"Why do you question me

about what's good?

God is the One

who is good.

If you want to enter the life of God,

just do what he tells you."

This man was probably looking for Jesus to tell him something like, "Of course you'll have eternal life--you're a good person," but Jesus doesn't say that at all. Nor does He give the man a list of rules and regulations for living a "good enough" life. Jesus insteads points to God as "the One" (and only One) who is good--and instructs the man to follow His ways.

The man then has the nerve to basically say, "I do all of that!", but Jesus sees right through it and tells him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor--something the man is unwilling to do because the stuff of his "good" life has too much of grip on his heart. It says:

He was holding on tight

to a lot of things,

and he couldn't bear

to let go.
As he watched him go,

Jesus told his disciples,

"Do you have any idea how difficult it is

for the rich

to enter God's kingdom?

Let me tell you,

it's easier to gallop a camel through a needle's eye

than for the rich

to enter God's kingdom."

I think this passage is interesting because of how much it applies to so many people I've met today in North America. These people are good. They're nice. They live decent lives. They are incredibly rich by most of the world's standards. And because of that, many of them don't see a need for God. But there is a big difference between being good and being God's.

As independent as we are, we can't save ourselves. It's impossible to follow God with the "I can do it myself!" attitude--something the disciples recognized. Thankfully, Jesus provided a solution:

The disciples were staggered. "Then who has any chance at all?"
Jesus looked hard at them and said,

"No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself.

Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it."

Tomorrow: Matthew 20-21

Deal? Or no deal?

Today: Matthew 15-17

I'll be the first to admit--I don't get the hype around the show "Deal or No Deal."

But some people LOVE it. They know the names of the girls in glitter. They know all of Howie Mandel's tactics for switching to commercial break at precisely the most intense moment. My dad even records the show on his DVR with a "season pass."

"Why?!?" I asked him one day. "It doesn't matter if you skip one episode...or 50. There's not exactly a story line."

I don't remember how he answered me. He probably said something like, "I just like it. No matter who is playing, there's always on-the-edge-of-your-seat drama."

Whether I like it or not, we all play the game of "Deal or No Deal" in real life...and there can be lots of drama. However, I think God's version is easier than Howie's. It's like playing the game with the numbers on the outside of the suitcases.

Let me explain...

Peter plays "Deal or No Deal"

In this passage, there are a two stories about Peter that I never placed together before (probably because they're usually chopped up in most books and messages).

In the first story, Jesus takes a survey of the disciples and asks, "What do people say about the Son of Man?" and then, "What do you say I am?" Peter answers, "You're the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God."

Jesus replies:

"God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah!

You didn't get that answer out of books or from teachers.

My Father in heaven,

God himself,

let you in on this secret of who I really am.

And now I'm going to tell you who you are, really are.

You are Peter, a rock.

This is the rock on which I will put together my church,

a church so expansive with energy

that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.
"And that's not all.

You will have complete and free access to God's kingdom...

By recognizing who Jesus is, Peter was on God's side. Peter learned who he was...and had the promise of "complete and free access to God's kingdom." That's a pretty good deal if you ask me.

But the drama quickly unfolds. In the next breath, Jesus tells the disciples about his impending death and resurrection. Peter says, "Impossible, Master! That can never be!"

Jesus' response is totally different than what we read a few paragraphs above. He says:

"Peter, get out of my way.

Satan, get lost.

You have no idea how God works."

That sounds pretty harsh...I mean, two seconds ago, Peter was the guy on God's side with keys to the kingdom. Here, he's linked to Satan and being lost and clueless about God, not found. This is a seriously bad deal.

I think Jesus explains what it takes to get the good deal when He says:

"Anyone who intends to come with me

has to let me lead.

You're not in the driver's seat; I am.

Don't run from suffering; embrace it.

Follow me and I'll show you how.

Self-help is no help at all.

Self-sacrifice is the way,

my way,

to finding yourself,

your true self.

What kind of deal is it to get everything you want

but lose yourself?

What could you ever trade your soul for?

When Peter spoke from a place of doubt...or, depending on how you read it, used a self-assured tone to tell Jesus (God in flesh) what's possible, he was clearly on the side of the bad deal.

But when he listened to God, spoke with faith and lost the need to speak his own opinion, he found God, himself and amazing promises for his future.

Sorry, Howie. I think Heaven's "Deal or No Deal" makes the (often difficult) choices seem more obvious--and has way better prizes in the end. And I think there will be glitter.

Tomorrow: Matthew 18-19

Faith in the familiar

Today: Matthew 13-14

It's really hard to have faith in the familiar.

That sentence seems kind of ironic, right? Since I know what's familiar to me, shouldn't it be easier to believe in, hope for, and trust?

Maybe. But perhaps when something or someone is too familiar, we stop seeing the reasons to believe, hope and trust.

When you have a great family, you may not see it...until you meet someone who doesn't have family at all. When you have a job, you may consider it ho-hum, stressful or a total pain in the neck...until you realize what it's like to face the stress of unemployment. And when you meet someone who is absolutely incredible, you may not realize the imprint they made on your life...until they're no longer in it.

In these chapters, there are a few places where Jesus addresses this concept. Here's one:

A lot of people,

prophets

and humble believers

among them,

would have given

anything

to see

what you are seeing,

to hear

what you are hearing,

but

never

had the chance.

Here He's addressing people who are seeing the greatness of God in flesh...but don't realize it. These people are missing history that's in front of their own faces.

There's another part of the passage I found fascinating...because some of the people seem to have a glimmer of recognition...for a moment:

"We had no idea he was this good!"...

"How did he get so wise, get such ability?"

But in the next breath

they were cutting him down:

"We've known him since he was a kid;

he's the carpenter's son.

We know his mother, Mary.

We know his brothers James and Joseph, Simon and Judas.

All his sisters live here.

Who does he think he is?"

They got their noses all out of joint.

But Jesus said,

"A prophet is taken for granted in his hometown and his family."

He didn't do many miracles

there

because

of their hostile indifference.

In this short (and sad!) passage, the phrase "hostile indifference" stood out to me. By definition, "indifference" is supposedly mild--it's not a strong word like "hate" or "contempt." But indifference can be very hostile--to Jesus, this treatment felt like a slap in the face. These are the people who should have recognized who He was--they should have been the ones who had an early, "Aha!" moment and thought, "It was Him all along!" But because they were too familiar, they rejected Him. They didn't see Him.

I think the cure for "hostile indifference" is the ability to have faith in the familiar--to recognize the greatness in what seems ordinary, to see beauty in the blah of your everyday life and to be truly grateful for the goodness in what you might normally take for granted.

Tomorrow: Matthew 15-17

Expecting the One...and Bill Cosby?

Today: Matthew 11-12

"When you meet the One, you'll just know."

Really?

You may think the quote above comes from the Message version of the Bible (since that's what we're reading and all). It doesn't. It's common philosophy passed on to single people everywhere. And while today's passage had absolutely nothing to do with being single or being married, there were a few things in it that reminded me of the holy grail--the search for "the One"--and the expectations many people have, whether searching for a "soulmate"...or the promised Messiah.

Here's what I mean--our expectations for the One may be very different from the real person or the real God--so much so that we may not recognize the One at first sight.

In chapter 11, John the Baptist is in prison, but sends his disciples to ask Jesus an important question:

"Are you the One we've been expecting, or are we still waiting?"

Jesus replies:

"Go back and tell John what's going on:

The blind see,

The lame walk,

Lepers are cleansed,

The deaf hear,

The dead are raised,

The wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side."

Is this what you were expecting?

Then count yourselves most blessed!"

I love His response because it's not just a simple, "Yes" or "No." It's a "Take a look at the evidence for yourself and decide" kind of answer--similar to later in the passage when He instructs that, "The fruit tells you about the tree."


When Jesus sounds (a little) like Bill Cosby...

Okay, so I may be stretching (quite a bit probably!), but does anyone remember Bill Cosby's ads for Jell-O pudding in the 80s? I think Jesus sounded a bit like the trusted Cos here:

John came fasting and they called him crazy.

I came feasting and they called me a lush,

a friend of the riffraff.

Opinion polls don't count for much, do they?

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Well...Jesus wasn't trying to sell pudding pops I guess. :)

Instead, He was basically saying that people had built-in expectations for John and for Him--what they should do, who they should hang out with. Depending on who you talked to, you probably would have heard a different list of what "the One" should be. I love how He taught, "the proof is in the pudding."

But wait, there's more...

(Now I sound like a TV pitch woman!). Later in the passage, it looks like He contradicts the quote above when He says:

"....The only proof you're going to get

is what looks like the absence of proof..."

Confused? Don't be. It all goes back to the idea of expectations. You see, the religious leaders were asking Jesus for evidence--they were putting him on the spot to see His credentials, the signs and wonders they expected the Messiah to perform.

I think it's interesting that Jesus didn't perform a miracle. He had the credentials they wanted. We know He already healed people. But Jesus knew their motives...and was making a point.

"You're looking for proof, but you're looking for the wrong kind.

All you want is something to titillate your curiosity,

satisfy your lust for miracles."

I think He's speaking to their "If you're the Messiah, then you'll fit into the mold of our expectations"-hoity-toity (did I just write that?!?) attitude.

But guess what? He defies expectations. And there's something pretty cool about that.

Tomorrow: Matthew 13-14

Faith to let go

Today (note: this was for Tues. 8-18): Matthew 9-10

“I need to find myself” is a common thought many people have…at least in college. When you receive a diploma, there’s an unwritten expectation that now you know yourself. Your life is on a path. You’re headed for grad school or the Real World (and for most of us, that doesn’t involve an MTV film crew).

Most of us want to find ourselves in something…a guy, career, sport, music, kids…you name it. And as much as those things can be amazing, you can completely lose yourself in them as well.
But here’s what Jesus said:

If your first concern is to look after yourself,
you’ll never find yourself.
But if you forget about yourself
and look to me,
you’ll find both yourself and me.

I’ll admit--that sounds kind of bizarre. It’s a total paradox. But one of the defining characteristics of faith is the willingness to let go.

Letting go is not always easy—but it can be freeing. I remember the first time a professional driver picked me up at home for a business trip. It was 4:00 AM (and I am NOT a morning person!), but the car and its leather seats were cozy. The driver was friendly and I knew he had done this job many times before. I totally trusted this stranger to take me to the airport. I didn’t turn into a backseat driver because I knew this guy was a professional. I was free to sleep, eat, or put on make-up in the back—I didn’t want to be in the driver’s seat. I felt a little bit like a celebrity--it was really nice!

But it definitely has to be the right driver and the right car. Trust me—I’ve had several taxi rides already where I was a complete nervous wreck in the back!

Faith is always a risk—and so is love. However, the payoff can be pretty incredible. And sleeping the backseat of a town car doesn’t come close to what happened with the bleeding woman in this passage. Even according to Jesus, her willingness to let go played a role in her miracle. He said:

“You took a risk of faith and now you’re well.”

I hope the same words could be said about all of us.

Tomorrow: Matthew 11-12

Technical difficulties...

Dear friends,

I’m experiencing technical difficulties at home. I’ve been reading and writing (as promised), but my home Internet connection hasn’t been working.

Is it completely awful that I wanted to totally curse Comcast because I didn’t want to disappoint anyone reading this blog…about my journey through the Bible? :)

Talk about irony…you can tell I still have much more to learn.

The pigs v. people perspective

Today: Matthew 7-8

“It’s ironic, isn’t it? This guy was involved in a dog fighting practice that killed innocent animals. He served two years in prison, while people who commit child abuse or murder another human being get out of serving jail time all together on technicalities,” my dad commented last night as we watched a news story about NFL player Michael Vick.

I remembered that discussion today as I read this passage…because I saw something I’d never noticed before. There’s a story at the end of chapter eight where Jesus heals two crazy men from demons that plague them.

These men terrorized a town. They made people feel so unsafe that most avoided crossing the road they frequented. When Jesus approached, the evil spirits knew who He is. The evil spirits knew He was going to free the men from their grip—the evil spirits didn't even plead with Him to stop it. Instead, they asked to live in a herd of pigs. Jesus granted their request and the pigs became so crazed, they bolted off a cliff and drowned.

Here’s the part I never noticed before:

Scared to death, the swineherds bolted.
They told everyone
back in town what had happened
to the madmen and the pigs.
Those who heard about it were angry
about the drowned pigs.
A mob formed
and demanded
that Jesus get out
and not come back.

You read that right—two crazy guys were completely healed, transformed from madmen to miracles—and people in the town were mad…because a herd of pigs drowned.

We don’t hear about anyone in the streets celebrating the two men and welcoming them back. No one thanked Jesus for changing the lives of two crazy guys who terrorized them and their children.

On the contrary, these people were outraged. They were so furious with Jesus, they kicked him out of town and told Him never to return. They treated a hero and healer in the same way they treated crazy people.

Why?

I don’t think it’s because the townspeople were animal rights activists. I’m guessing it’s because the herd of pigs represented a LOT of money to someone or to the town. And the people didn’t exactly love the two madmen who terrified their city. To them, the lives of the pigs were more important than the lives of two people.

They were furious with Jesus. But I’m willing to bet that He wasn’t very pleased with them either.

At first glance, the attitudes of these people seem absolutely ridiculous. But how many of us prioritize the “pigs” in our lives over people? How many times have we thought, “You know…I could help that person, but it just takes too much time”? Or “I could do something to help those people…but it just costs too much money”?

Meet Tony: A guy with people perspective

It’s interesting I read this passage this morning because this afternoon, I went to the funeral of a great family friend. Tony Feist is a man who is a legend to my family and to many others. And more than anything, I think it’s because he always put people over “pigs” in life.

If you looked at Tony’s life without knowing him, you might think he was a simple guy. He had a wife and two kids. He served in the military and worked at Boeing before retiring. No schools or statues bear his name.

Over 30 years ago, Tony invited a 21-year old guy named Joe to a baseball game and to dinner. Tony’s wife Linda worked with Joe’s wife and they were friends. Tony didn’t know Joe well, but he knew that Joe didn’t have a job. At dinner, Tony prayed that his new friend would find a job the very next day. At 6:00 AM the next morning, Joe got a phone call from a manager (who didn’t know Tony at all, by the way) at a local company—a manager who told him about a job opportunity. Joe landed that job. But more importantly, through Tony’s friendship, example, and bold faith, Joe learned about Jesus.

Joe is my dad—because of Tony and his wife, my parents became people who follow Christ. I don’t know what my life or family would look like if Tony and Linda hadn’t taken the time to invest in my parents—through simple things like baseball games and dinner.

What if they would have been people who said “It costs too much…” or “We’re just too busy”?

Tomorrow: Matthew 9-10

Stress tests, inside-out focus and shifting paradigms…seriously

Today: Matthew 5-6

Stress tests

My dad had open heart surgery a few years ago. About a week ago, he started experiencing some pain in his chest. It didn’t exactly feel the same as what he felt pre-surgery, but he went to the hospital to have things checked out…just to be on the safe side.

Dad was in the hospital just over 24 hours (including part of his birthday!). And because of my dad’s history, the doctors did multiple tests to rule things out. Thankfully, things look good with his heart.

But as I read today’s passage, I started thinking about some of the heart tests my Dad went through—because from what Jesus says in Matthew 5-6, I think God is very in to doing heart tests on all of us.

There’s so much I could write about from today’s reading. It’s definitely a significant passage because it’s really the first glimpse of Jesus’ teaching we read about in Matthew. I think it’s interesting that before dealing with people who are blind, deaf or dead, Jesus starts working to address the needs of people who have heart issues (and really, isn’t that all of us?).

One of the heart tests my dad took is what’s called a stress test. He gets on a treadmill and starts walking. As the speed and pressure increase, the doctor and medical professionals closely watch a monitor that tracks his heart rate.

Stress tests happen every day at hospitals. But they also happen at homes, workplaces, on the freeway (well, in Seattle anyway!), and even at churches. There are moments each day when our hearts are tested—through stress, loss and even good times—and the results are known only by God, the Great Physician.

Perhaps more than any other time, I feel like recent months have been a big “stress test” for so many people. In my own family, my sister was laid off and my own job was in jeopardy. Not to mention my dad’s health challenges…or other things we’ve gone through. Jesus’ message thousands of years ago to people facing stress tests still resonates today:

“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—
most of which are never even seen—
don’t you think he’ll attend to you,
take pride in you,
do His best for you?
What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax,
to not be so preoccupied with getting,
so you can respond to God’s giving.”

Inside-out focus

Here’s another way to see it: God looks at people inside-out—and in this passage, Jesus is really challenging us to do the same, when He says:

You’re blessed when you get your inside world—
your mind and heart—
put right.
Then you can see God
in the outside world.

I think most people are wired to look at themselves and others from the outside-in. That’s really what most man-made religions are all about—“Do this”, “Don’t do that”, “Look this way”—then you’ll be cool, popular, an insider with God.

But as my pastor says, “We don’t get good to get God. We get God to get good.” God is most interested in totally transforming our hearts and minds—the important outside stuff usually follows.

A lot of people get caught up in “doing” faith—they buy big Bibles, develop a signature worship move/cool Christian hair, and speak the lingo. But Jesus sees right through that (and to be honest, a lot of people do, too). In this passage, He says:

“And don’t say anything you don’t mean…
You only make things worse
when you lay down of smoke screen of pious talk,
saying, ‘I’ll pray for you,’
and never doing it,
or saying, ‘God be with you,’
and not meaning it…
Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’
When you manipulate words
to get your own way,
you go wrong.”

God’s not into manipulation—He’s into motivation.

Shifting paradigms…seriously

One the things that strikes me about this passage is how radically different it is from common thinking—even today. Jesus is all about shifting paradigms…seriously. For me, this was most apparent when I read the “You’re blessed” section (also referred to as the Beatitudes).

Most people think of blessing from the outside in. Blessed people are the beautiful people, the rich people, the healthy people. And that may be true to some extent. But outside “stuff” isn’t the only evidence of blessing—and outside stuff doesn’t mean inside heart issues are right either.
Blessing can come in some pretty strange gift wrap. Let’s see how a few of Jesus’ descriptions compare to what I outlined:

You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope.
With less of you,
there is more of God
and His rule.

You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost
what’s most dear to you.
Only then can you be embraced
by the One
most dear to you.

Wow. Just these two descriptions alone from Jesus illustrate a “blessed life” different from how I usually picture it.

The first person sounds seriously desperate—but her desperation means that she can totally surrender to God’s care. The second has experienced a serious loss. Maybe he lost his job, his home, his family. But he is blessed because he still has God’s arms to embrace him. He has a friend to lean on. These are the kinds of blessings that surpass “stuff.”

Sometimes I hear people praised for having a “tell it like it is”communication style. But in today’s reading, I saw Jesus as a “tell it like it should be” kind of God. So I’ll end today’s post with His words instead of mine:

“In a word, what I’m saying is,
Grow up.
You’re kingdom subjects.
Now live like it.
Live out your God-created identity.
Live generously
and graciously
toward others,
the way God lives
toward you.”

Tomorrow: Matthew 7-8

Keeping promises, solving mysteries in reverse…and eating bugs?

Today: Matthew 1-4

“Matthew provides the comprehensive context

by which we see all God’s creation and salvation

completed in Jesus,

and all the parts of our lives

—work, family, friends, memories and dreams—

also completed in Jesus.”

Introduction – Matthew – The Message

Keeping promises

Keeping promises. It’s not exactly common today, is it? Everywhere you look, you can find broken promises—“I dos” that turned into “I won’t anymore!”, children with missing parents…and I won’t even begin to talk about politicians. It’s interesting, though, that in this culture of broken promises, people still have this hope, this need to believe that someone will actually do what they say.

So far, the book of Matthew seems to illustrate how God is someone who keeps promises—and I absolutely love that. Throughout today’s reading, I saw it multiple times (look for the indented text quoting Old Testament verses if you’re reading with me). The writer appears to be saying, “See—this just proves it. God’s Word said it back then…and now we’ve seen His promise come to life.”

Solving mysteries in reverse

This could be my imagination, but I picture the author of Matthew as a detective working in reverse.

Let me explain—have you ever seen the movie “The Sixth Sense”? Or any episode of “Law & Order,” movie or story on the news that makes you think, “It was HIM all along!?!”? I wonder if the author of Matthew felt that way about Jesus. He walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus… but may not have fully recognized just who Jesus is until He was gone.

He knows the answer to solve the mystery, but he missed some of clues along the way, so he’s retracing the story. That could be part of the reason why the, “See! This just proves it!” moments occur throughout the text.

But hold on a second. I bet you’re still wondering about my headline for this post. You know…

…And eating bugs?

I thought so.

One of the things that stood out to me about today’s passage is…well…how weird some of it is. I mean, John the Baptist is a guy with odd camel-hair clothes WHO EATS BUGS! His fire-y style of speaking is today most often illustrated by people we often dismiss as, “Whoa—that guy had too much to drink!” or, as my mom says, “He’s a few fries short of a Happy Meal.” But John the Baptist had hundreds and hundreds of people who listened and followed him. That’s how I KNOW God was part of it—I mean, would you follow a bug-eater? :)

I think some of the weirdness of this story is intentional—God intended it and so did the author. Here are some of the other “weird” things that stood out:

• The family lineage of Jesus through Joseph – Yes, pillars of Jewish and Old Testament history (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon) are there. But in a patriarchal culture, it’s particularly strange that women are listed. And some of them have some pretty odd stories of their own—Rahab was a prostitute and “Uriah’s wife”(Bathsheba) was The Other Woman in an adultress affair—just to name a few. These are the family stories or secrets many people (even today) try to bury. Why are they included here?
  
  
• The virgin birth—On the surface, “God got me pregnant” does seem a bit strange, Jerry Springer Show-like, don’t you think? But the way it’s told, I feel like Mary and…especially Joseph…had to KNOW it was God. If Joseph didn’t truly trust the dreams God gave him, he would have had a perfect excuse to leave Mary (hey, they weren’t even married, right?). But he didn’t.
  
  
• The scholars (wise men) from the East—How many scholars (yes, super smart people) today would just get up and leave their homes and families simply because they saw a cool star that signified the birth of a newborn king? Again, it sounds weird. But that must have been some star…
  
  
• How much God speaks through dreams—In these four chapters, several of the key people (Joseph, the wise scholars) receive special dreams from God that are so strong, they believe and act on them. I wonder how much God speaks to people today through dreams—and what happens when they listen?
  
  
• How Jesus chose common people-- This “weird” thing may be my personal favorite of the passage. Jesus calls two brothers—these two fishermen—to follow him. I love how The Message describes it:

They were fishing, throwing their nets into the lake.
It was their regular work.
Jesus said to them, “Come with me.
I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you.
I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.”
They didn’t ask questions,
but simply dropped their nets and followed.

I love how these four chapters show a God who keeps His promises…in unexpected ways. What’s unexpected may be kind of weird (hello, bug-eater preacher!)—but God at work may also seem so normal or mundane. I wonder how many times God has been in my “regular work” or even my dreams…and I didn’t see it? It makes me want to be a detective working in reverse...seeing the mystery solved, but looking for a glimpse of those precious clues again.

Tomorrow: Matthew 5-6

Introducing...the Jonita & Jesus Project

This past weekend, I saw the movie Julie & Julia and it inspired me. Like one of the lead characters (Julie Powell played by Amy Adams), I am approaching a milestone birthday. And I find myself in a place where I’m definitely happy, but if I’m totally honest (with myself and anyone reading this), I don’t always feel fulfilled or passionate about work, life, or even the God I’ve known most of my life…so I’m shaking things up a bit!

Here’s what the Jonita & Jesus Project is all about:

The assignment: Read the entire Bible in one year and blog about the experience.

The deadline: August 14, 2010 (I’ll be almost 30 when I’m done—OH. MY. GOSH!)

* Note: I’m starting this assignment on August 15...which is after this initial post...mainly to work out a few logistics. Also, the reading plan I’ve chosen works best for those starting on the 15th or 30th of the month.

The details:

• I’ve chosen the Message version of the Bible for its simplicity—with the hope that other people will join me in this project.
  
  
• I’m intentionally NOT reading chronologically. I’ve chosen a 365-day reading plan that get s to the heart of the story first (mainly so that anyone else participating doesn’t get lost in Numbers or Leviticus off the bat…if you know what I mean). :)
  
  
• I’m not a Bible scholar. My reactions and thoughts on the text will be based on my interpretation and experience. (Though over the past 24 years or so, I have learned some things at church and school that may show up here, too.)
  
  
• I will try to respond to comments. But as I mentioned above, I’m not a scholar or able to answer all questions about the Bible. And I do have a day job.
  
  
• I will make it easy for you to join me. With each post, I’ll list the passages I’m reading. You can also create your own plan at BibleYear.Com. If you don’t have a Bible, check out Bible Gateway online.
  
  
• I’m not even going to try to be objective. I’m a person. And any time people are involved in reading, writing or interpreting anything (the news, weather, fashion, art…and definitely the Bible!), there’s an element of our personal perspectives that affect what we write and how we interpret. As I approach the Bible, I’ll view it from the standpoint of, “I believe this is truth. It’s God’s Word—His message to me and you. I believe this book is relevant to my life and my faith today. And I believe there are some things here I won’t understand…and that’s okay.”
  
  
• I’m praying (a lot!) and thinking of you throughout this project. I’m hoping that through this process, I’ll be changed for the better. I’m hoping that I’ll be humble and transparent and “tell it like it is” honest. I’m praying that I’ll be focused and stick to this challenge. But more importantly, I’m praying that anyone who reads this blog gets to know God and His thoughts more than me and my thoughts—that this project will stir up our personal passions for actually knowing a personal God.
  
  
  This project is designed to share (at least) two life-changing stories—mine throughout this process and the greatest story ever told. But it’s my hope that more than two life-changing stories are shared throughout this journey. I’m praying that destinies are changed forever.
  
  Talk to you soon!