“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
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