theROCK

He Teaches the Humble His Way

Do you ever wonder if Jesus was ever in a bad mood? The scripture stories of Jesus' cleansing of the temple and His cursing of the fig tree makes one wonder. Matthew's 21st chapter begins with Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, I imagine that is where HIs sense of urgency comes from. Jesus questions the Pharisees' righteousness. They are convinced that they are good while others are "bad" and have closed themselves off to spiritual growth. As I think about this gospel in our current situation and in what we as a global community are experiencing, I can't help but think that we all need to give ourselves a self-righteousness check. Imagine how our world would look if we all listened to each other, and instead of focusing on our own righteousness, we focus on becoming more humble. "He guides the humble to justice, and teaches the humble his way." (Ps. 25:4) What might be the result? A world with more compassion, mercy, and unity!

God's Great and Vast Mercy

Matthews 20:1-16 serves as a reminder for us about how great and vast God's mercy and generosity are. Our salvation is not earned, but freely given by God. 

Jesus provides salvation for all who accept His invitation, no matter the timing. Sometimes, we can be like the laborers who worked the fields all day, and think we are a "better Christian" somehow based on how long we have faithfully practiced our faith, how much we pray, or volunteer, or give to charity. Jesus wants us to focus on the fact that we should be thankful that we have been invited to "labor in the field" at all.

Christ invites us to focus less on comparing ourselves to others and more on our interior life; our personal relationship with God. Only when we strive to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul can we truly love our neighbor as ourselves.

The Magnolia Tree

Each spring, as the winter finally releases its frigid grip on us, the trees in my neighborhood all come to life. One of these trees is a Magnolia that proudly stands in my front yard.

For a few days in May, this Magnolia is filled with creamy white and ivory flowers, tinged with various shades of pink and purple. I'm always excited when I see the first buds, and I marvel at how quickly the flowers bloom.

And I marvel at how quickly the flowers fall to the ground and make way for green leaves. The entire process is over in several days, shorter if it rains.

During this time frame I do what I can to appreciate their beauty. I know it's fleeting, so I want to savor as much as possible.

Sound familiar? What is fleeting in your life? You can certainly fill in the blank with your blossom time: your children living at home before they begin their own life, special vacations with family and friends, game night with a big bowl of popcorn and lots of laughter, or a glorious sunset on a summer night. 

How are you savoring the moments of your life? Are you admiring the beauty and appreciating every single minute? 

Or are you letting the busyness of life sweep you away?

Take a moment today to discover your Magnolia Tree.