Consider this

In Matthew 13, Jesus tells of a farmer who sowed good seed in field, only to find that an enemy had sowed weeds among the wheat.   When the man’s servants realize this, they ask, “Do you want us to go pull them up?” (Verse 28)     The farmer answers, “No!   Because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters: ‘First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn’” (Verses 29-30). I have always heard this parable used as a lesson in patience, or as a reminder of the coming judgment day.    However, I think there is another point to understand. The farmer did not want his servants in his field because they are focused on the weeds!    Their first inclination is to think about

                  At a meeting the other day, someone told a story that made everyone laugh.   Well, everyone except me.   I did not know the people they were referencing, so I did not get the joke.    Sometimes, when you lack the necessary background information, you miss the point.                   That happens all the time when we read our Bibles.    We read them from a North American, 2018 perspective and, therefore, we often miss details that were huge to the early church.                   For example, when writing about the crucifixion, Matthew, Mark and Luke all make a point of saying, “At that moment (the exact moment of Jesus’ death) the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51).   Big deal, right?   Odd, but not all that significant to me.   However, the writer of Hebrews makes that detail one of the centrepieces of h

                  Everyone loves an underdog story.   From kids who start out in bad situations and make it big, to sports teams that should lose but end up winning, we like big, unexpected results.   There is a reason why so many books and movies are “rags to riches” stories.   We like big, sudden turnarounds.                 It should not surprise us, then, that we like spiritual comeback stories too.   We like to focus on dramatic testimonies and instant changes.    However, that is not the way most people experience spiritual growth and renewal.   Most of us are much more like a man that Jesus met in the little town of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26).                 On that day, some friends brought a blind man to be healed.   Instead of the instant, spectacular, showy event the were expecting, Jesus took the man outside of town where no one els

                  I was raised to value toughness.   You do not whine or cry about your situation.   Instead, you grit your teeth and get things done.   So, imagine my joy when I heard people at church talking about “working hard for God”, or reading passages that said things like, “take up your cross and follow” (Mark 8:34). “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it” (Luke 9:24) made sense.   The language fit too, because we labelled people with phrases like, “He is a strong Christian”.   Be tough!   Take on the challenge!   See if you can do it!    All of that sounded right to me.                 It probably sounded right to Peter too!    On the night of his arrest, Jesus tells the disciples, “This very night you will all fall away!” (Matthew 26:31).   When Peter hears