I often think of people from the bible, and how would they react to how we live today. For example, when I go running, I think how this seem stupid in the eyes of Israel in the old testament. Their lifestyle was only exercise; rubbing the clothes on rocks to clean the stains, kneading the many loaves of bread, the harvest, tiling the ground was done on foot with animals that needed to be made ready etc. Their whole life included what we call exercise so... could you imagine one of them standing on the side of the road and ask me why I'm running? They would probably start running themselves because the Egyptians must be coming or maybe the Moabites! In their eyes, I would be fleeing not running....!
How about the tv? lol! They would see the people in the box and wonder how they got there. Most convicting of all, is the way we dress. They would be scandalized! They would see how wicked this world has become with the majority of woman being harlots, and majority would be an understatement.
Now think about these people, in the time of Jesus, when He began His ministry.
The priests who considered themselves a cut above the rest, trusting in their works for righteousness with God. They met Jesus, listenned to His preaching and teaching and rejected Him because they would have to abolish their "position" in the community and in people's eyes.
I think of Jairus who was a ruler of the synagogue. He knew the traditions, the different steps of forgiveness of sins but obviously recognized the inability of these works to save him, his daughter and wife. This is the man who's daughter was dead and He went to Jesus to ask Him to heal her. The others told him not to bother Jesus since she was already dead but he insisted knowing Jesus was able to do all things. Jesus did go to Jairus' home and rose his daughter from the dead. Jairus and his family's life was changed from that moment on. The law, we know 10 of them as the Commandments, are not doable, they are there to show us our imperfections and I believe Jairus was very aware that he could not attain that perfection and needed the Way, the Truth and the Life.
How about Mary Magdalene? Although she and Jairus have something in common, feeling unworthy of perfection, Mary Magdalene was an extreme case. She felt so unworthy that she washed Jesus' feet with her tears. Have you ever done that during your prayer time; felt so unworthy of God's forgiveness, you cried so much and felt as though you were washing His feet with your tears?
Her life was also changed and she never turned back. There's something to be said for humbling ourselves.
These three types of people are often seen walking the streets, attending the schools, buying in the malls and even living next door. People who trust their religion, their works for salvation, some feeling defeated by the impossibility of perfection and constant falling short and wanting purpose in their life and some feel too unworthy to even come to God.
We could compare ourselves to Jesus' disciples, which technically we are and should act like it. We know Jesus personally, and have spent time with Him. He has taught us truth and commands us to go into all the world and to preach the gospel, to teach them (discipleship) and to baptise them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. ... yet... we are focused on our comfort zone, our finances, our things, our schedule mine mine mine. hmmmmm....
I wonder who I would of been like if I was there during the life of Jesus. Would I of been deemed worthy to be chosen as Mary the mother of Jesus? Would I be the Pharisee who crucified Him or would I be like Jairus who was humble and felt defeated by the burden of sin? It scares me to think how I might of received or rejected Him.
Who do you think you would of been?
1 comment:
Very thought provoking, thanks Cynthia.
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