Today’s scripture: Luke 18:31-34 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Ben Lamb):
I used to think it odd that Jesus would tell his followers something important and simultaneously make them unable to understand those words. But now, I view the situation differently. I see this as an example that humans simply aren’t equipped to instantly understand 100% of everything in 100% of all situations. I wonder at what point in time the twelve apostles did come to understand these things.
Sometimes, we need to hear things which don’t seem to matter at that exact moment or which we don’t quite understand. Yet we mull those words around for a while and eventually have a “Eureka!” moment when we finally understand what was earlier said. Had we never heard the initially confusing words in the first place, we would never have been able to begin the journey of understanding them.
If I had been listening to Jesus and had no understanding of what he had spoken, I doubt that I would have piped up and said, “Jesus, what in the world are you talking about? I’m totally clueless.” No. I wouldn’t have wanted him or the other apostles to know. Why am I like that in my own life when I don’t understand something said by others?
I believe this passage is proof that Jesus was willing to continue his work despite not being initially understood at various moments. We sometimes need to do the same.
A few points come to mind after having read this:
- Be of good cheer and continue onward if you, too, must do something that you know is right and proper even though you may not be understood at the time.
- Don’t be too rough on yourself for not understanding everything. Understanding sometimes takes time.
- If you don’t understand something initially, there’s no need to dismiss it summarily. It may make sense to you later on.
- Be patient with people who are less advanced in areas of understanding than you might be.
Thought for the day: Nobody’s brain is downloaded at birth with all knowledge of the cosmos. Among other things, life is a never-ending journey for knowledge.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.