How wonderful it is that Jesus would sit in the temple and people-watch, or maybe, teachable-moment-watch, with his disciples even though he knew that he was facing the worst suffering imaginable in a few days time.
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on." -Mark 12:41-44
Our God is the teacher who sits down with his students even after the "lesson" is over. So often that is when the real lessons occur.
It is a motivation to me to know that he can be so calm in the face of his future suffering. Not that he is lethargic--he is in the middle of a day of teaching the people how their expectation of the messiah is off. It is more that he hasn't become the overburdened, stress-out person that I become when I have something big coming up (not that the things I do are "big" on this scale).
I am glad too that at the point in my life when I have been being told these stories over and over, that Jesus is real and fresh. When I open Scripture, when I read the text of Jesus' passion week, though I know the story well, there is more there than the Sunday School picture I have planted in my memory. Living Jesus who reigns now and forever is walking and talking and teaching his disciples. He is willing to sit a while with me, waiting for the teachable moment. His teaching is not old or over. It is present.
><>
No comments:
Post a Comment