I wish there was a way to spell the response I get from my children when I confront them on disobedience. The grunt that comes from them is best visualized with shoulders shrugged and eyes looking anywhere but me. It most closely resembles the phrase ‘I don’t know’, but it is like all the vowels have been removed.
I ask why questions a lot. Why did you do that? Why did you think that was okay? Why, God, why? When asked of my children, I normally receive the aforementioned, guttural, non-vowel response.
It’s difficult for me because I don’t see a lot of gray in the commands I give to my children. Putting your clothes in the hamper does not mean putting them somewhere else. Brushing your teeth does not mean lying down on the bathroom floor. And being nice to your siblings will never involve weapons.
In the first chapter of Mark, we find Jesus healing a leper. Unlike other times that Jesus did this, when all He expected was a simple thanks, this time He asks the cured leper to do a few things. “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them” (Mark 1:44). This seems pretty straightforward. Keep your mouth shut and go offer some sacrifices.
“Instead, he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news” (Mark 1:45). Okay, I get it. You get miraculously cured by someone and you might be tempted to share this great news. Normally I would be all for that. But when the guy who just cured you says not to, especially when it is THE GUY, I would encourage listening to what He has to say. If for no other reason, then because He just healed you and He asked you nicely.
This leper’s disobedience caused problems for Jesus, namely that He was no longer able to walk freely in the open without receiving rock-star like clamoring for His attention and time. When we disobey God, it has detrimental effects as well.
My children avoid my gaze when they have done wrong. I imagine it will be hard for us to look at God if we have done wrong as well. Perhaps we can avoid excuses and simply do what God tells us to do. Somehow it seems like a better solution than mumbling unrecognizable phrases.
I ask why questions a lot. Why did you do that? Why did you think that was okay? Why, God, why? When asked of my children, I normally receive the aforementioned, guttural, non-vowel response.
It’s difficult for me because I don’t see a lot of gray in the commands I give to my children. Putting your clothes in the hamper does not mean putting them somewhere else. Brushing your teeth does not mean lying down on the bathroom floor. And being nice to your siblings will never involve weapons.
In the first chapter of Mark, we find Jesus healing a leper. Unlike other times that Jesus did this, when all He expected was a simple thanks, this time He asks the cured leper to do a few things. “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them” (Mark 1:44). This seems pretty straightforward. Keep your mouth shut and go offer some sacrifices.
“Instead, he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news” (Mark 1:45). Okay, I get it. You get miraculously cured by someone and you might be tempted to share this great news. Normally I would be all for that. But when the guy who just cured you says not to, especially when it is THE GUY, I would encourage listening to what He has to say. If for no other reason, then because He just healed you and He asked you nicely.
This leper’s disobedience caused problems for Jesus, namely that He was no longer able to walk freely in the open without receiving rock-star like clamoring for His attention and time. When we disobey God, it has detrimental effects as well.
My children avoid my gaze when they have done wrong. I imagine it will be hard for us to look at God if we have done wrong as well. Perhaps we can avoid excuses and simply do what God tells us to do. Somehow it seems like a better solution than mumbling unrecognizable phrases.
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