Today’s scripture: Mark 8:27-30 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message)
As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.
My thoughts (Ben Lamb):
How many times have you looked at a word puzzle, a mystery novel’s clue, or Vanna White and her electronic letters on Wheel of Fortune for a long time, and finally thought, “Well, why didn’t I understand it before now? There were a ton of obvious clues laid out in front of my face.”
When I work a cross-word puzzle, it’s much more satisfying to think and toil over the blank boxes myself. If someone stands over my shoulder and blurts out answers, there’s no incentive for me to even try continuing on with it. I need to do some of the thinking and working of the process myself to come up with a decision about what to do.
That may have been exactly what Jesus wanted his disciples to refrain from doing in today’s scripture. They’d had a home court advantage of following Jesus around for some time. They’d seen a boatload of miracles and heard his teachings, and watched him live a life by example. It’s no wonder that Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”
But, there were others in the land who were not on track. They were certainly trying for answers: John the Baptist, Elijah, and [other ancestral] prophets certainly were honest attempts to describe the godly man who was making a major difference wherever he went. Yet, they weren’t completely on target.
Jesus never stood on a street corner and shouted, “Hey, ya all; listen up! It’s me — the Son of God. Line up peaceably now, single file, and become my followers today, ya hear? Get the lead out. Now!” That wasn’t his style. He showed by example and by teaching in a humble manner and let his followers choose to follow him. Coercion, intimidation, guilt-tripping, and mandatory memorization of endless trivia simply don’t exist in passages associated with him.
One of the things I like about studying the gospels is that Jesus’ thoughts and actions are so well recorded. I can read them, learn what his contemporaries thought about them, and discover how people directly associated with him were influenced. Then, I am truly free to willingly become his follower.
Thought for the day: Thank you Jesus, for wanting us as willing followers; not mindless zombies.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.