Questions. There are times questions are helpful and there are times questions are not. I laugh when I think about this now, but I remember when Jessy and I were in college and how one day he was recounting his day and the conversations he had had with various people. One conversation in particular left me mortified. He reported that during a class lecture he raised his hand and asked the professor, "Why do you have an airplane landing strip on your head?" He was referring to his receded hairline! The professor was was not phased and laughed, but that question while OK to ask in one culture was not OK to ask in another. Jessy has since learned the socially appropriate conversation topics here, while I must say that I still have a ways to go at learning those for his homeland :)
In reflecting on the Discovery Bible Passage from this past Sunday, Mark 9:30-37, I was struck by verse 32, "But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it." Jesus just told them THE PLAN and they were afraid to ask? Why? Perhaps because they were embarrassed and disillusioned that they were the greatest and thought that they should already know what Jesus was talking about? Perhaps because of their pride they missed the equipping and hope that Jesus was extending to them? How many times does our pride get in the way of what God is working within us? Too often I think we discount, disqualify, deny, disapprove or even doubt the opportunities God is placing before and miss out on the things He is inviting us into.
This passage highlights the stance Jesus calls us to have in the midst of the everyday.
1. Humility: The text clearly shows us that Jesus wasn't living to perform for people. In fact he didn't want people to know where He and His disciples were.
2. Authenticity: It's funny how in the text, the argument between the disciples about who was the greatest was in fact very childish. Perhaps when Jesus placed a little child among them he was emphasizing that to them. I wonder if Jesus was also highlighting how we are not called to pretend like we have it altogether, but to come authentically with our questions, our failures, our true identities and passions before God.
3. Teachable: I think we've all been asked a slew of questions at some point in our life by a child wondering how the world works. So many questions are asked and so many answers are given that ultimately we come to a point where we aren't sure how to answer those questions anymore! Have you been there? But the stance we are invited to take from this passage is one of learning, no one has arrived until we see Jesus face to face. If the disciples had stopped in their confusion and asked Jesus, who knows what might have been different when the time actually came for THE PLAN to happen. Would they have been scared and hiding in a room? Or would they have taken advantage of the situation compelled by the joy and hope that Jesus would rise three days later?
So this week and in the weeks to come may we ask questions. I believe one of the greatest strategies we can take in humbling ourselves is to ask questions. Not to assume. Not to act like we have it all together. Asking questions reminds us we need each other and allows us to receive from another. It allows us to step out of being blinded by our need to be right or prove ourselves and rather step into complete and utter dependence on God, leaning into His understanding and trusting that He will make our paths straight.
Why You Don't Have To Be The Greatest
Questions. There are times questions are helpful and there are times questions are not. I laugh when I think about this now, but I remember when Jessy and I were in college and how one day he was recounting his day and the conversations he had had with various people. One conversation in particular left me mortified. He reported that during a class lecture he raised his hand and asked the professor, "Why do you have an airplane landing strip on your head?" He was referring to his receded hairline! The professor was was not phased and laughed, but that question while OK to ask in one culture was not OK to ask in another. Jessy has since learned the socially appropriate conversation topics here, while I must say that I still have a ways to go at learning those for his homeland :)
In reflecting on the Discovery Bible Passage from this past Sunday, Mark 9:30-37, I was struck by verse 32, "But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it." Jesus just told them THE PLAN and they were afraid to ask? Why? Perhaps because they were embarrassed and disillusioned that they were the greatest and thought that they should already know what Jesus was talking about? Perhaps because of their pride they missed the equipping and hope that Jesus was extending to them? How many times does our pride get in the way of what God is working within us? Too often I think we discount, disqualify, deny, disapprove or even doubt the opportunities God is placing before and miss out on the things He is inviting us into.
This passage highlights the stance Jesus calls us to have in the midst of the everyday.
1. Humility: The text clearly shows us that Jesus wasn't living to perform for people. In fact he didn't want people to know where He and His disciples were.
2. Authenticity: It's funny how in the text, the argument between the disciples about who was the greatest was in fact very childish. Perhaps when Jesus placed a little child among them he was emphasizing that to them. I wonder if Jesus was also highlighting how we are not called to pretend like we have it altogether, but to come authentically with our questions, our failures, our true identities and passions before God.
3. Teachable: I think we've all been asked a slew of questions at some point in our life by a child wondering how the world works. So many questions are asked and so many answers are given that ultimately we come to a point where we aren't sure how to answer those questions anymore! Have you been there? But the stance we are invited to take from this passage is one of learning, no one has arrived until we see Jesus face to face. If the disciples had stopped in their confusion and asked Jesus, who knows what might have been different when the time actually came for THE PLAN to happen. Would they have been scared and hiding in a room? Or would they have taken advantage of the situation compelled by the joy and hope that Jesus would rise three days later?
So this week and in the weeks to come may we ask questions. I believe one of the greatest strategies we can take in humbling ourselves is to ask questions. Not to assume. Not to act like we have it all together. Asking questions reminds us we need each other and allows us to receive from another. It allows us to step out of being blinded by our need to be right or prove ourselves and rather step into complete and utter dependence on God, leaning into His understanding and trusting that He will make our paths straight.