Let me give you a typical conversation at the Nier household. Jennifer will be cooking supper and I will be calling the children to wash up, an activity that resembles herding kittens. I will go to our 4-year-old and say that it is time for supper. She will respond, 'I don't want anything icky.' The amount of trust that our children give us is mind-numbing. But since I know which foods get defined as icky and which foods get eaten, I measure my response.
I will explain to her that she should trust that her parents will only give her good food to eat, but she has seen too much broccoli to believe that. She has her own version of truth and will not allow my perception to warp her reality.
Such is the case with Jesus and some Jews that we're told 'had believed him' (John 8:31). The conversation starts out innocently, with Jesus offering them freedom. Jesus breaks it down for them, even telling them why they are ready to kill Him. 'You have no room for my word' John 8:37. Uh-oh.
Have you ever considered what this actually meant for these Jews? We live in a day where people seem to make room for every silly thought that is uttered, no matter the source or veracity of such comments. We make room for anything and everything to be true. But not the Jews. They lived in a time where Truth was a rare commodity. And apparently they had developed such a truth in their own hearts that they simply had no room when THE Truth was standing right in front of their very eyes.
This is often our predicament because we are full of ourselves. Our abilities. Our schedules. Our stuff. Us, us, us. We are discouraged and offended by God's word because we simply have no room. We choose not to accept truth because we are consumed with the lie.
Sadly, the manger scene was not the only time in history when man made no room for God.
I would give more to charities, but there is no room in my budget.
I would spend more time helping at church, but there is no room in my schedule.
I would pray more for people, but I have no room in my thoughts.
I would read the Bible more often, but there is no room in my reading schedule.
So now we are full swing in the Christmas season, with the Grinch making appearances long before the cartoon gets aired on TV. If only it were as simple as Linus explaining the real meaning of the season to Charlie Brown. But it's not.
It begins with us and a choice. How will we make room for Jesus in our lives?
I will explain to her that she should trust that her parents will only give her good food to eat, but she has seen too much broccoli to believe that. She has her own version of truth and will not allow my perception to warp her reality.
Such is the case with Jesus and some Jews that we're told 'had believed him' (John 8:31). The conversation starts out innocently, with Jesus offering them freedom. Jesus breaks it down for them, even telling them why they are ready to kill Him. 'You have no room for my word' John 8:37. Uh-oh.
Have you ever considered what this actually meant for these Jews? We live in a day where people seem to make room for every silly thought that is uttered, no matter the source or veracity of such comments. We make room for anything and everything to be true. But not the Jews. They lived in a time where Truth was a rare commodity. And apparently they had developed such a truth in their own hearts that they simply had no room when THE Truth was standing right in front of their very eyes.
This is often our predicament because we are full of ourselves. Our abilities. Our schedules. Our stuff. Us, us, us. We are discouraged and offended by God's word because we simply have no room. We choose not to accept truth because we are consumed with the lie.
Sadly, the manger scene was not the only time in history when man made no room for God.
I would give more to charities, but there is no room in my budget.
I would spend more time helping at church, but there is no room in my schedule.
I would pray more for people, but I have no room in my thoughts.
I would read the Bible more often, but there is no room in my reading schedule.
So now we are full swing in the Christmas season, with the Grinch making appearances long before the cartoon gets aired on TV. If only it were as simple as Linus explaining the real meaning of the season to Charlie Brown. But it's not.
It begins with us and a choice. How will we make room for Jesus in our lives?
Comments