Matthew 10:24-39
‘A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!
‘So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
‘Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.
‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
Reflection
This day takes on a special meaning for me along with the words of this passage. It was 58 years ago that Mom gave birth to me in the small hours of the morning way before sunrise. It was 2 years ago that this same great lady died in the late hours of the day after sunset. But it was all the time in between those years that flood back into my mind.
Memories of Mom that was full of fire and spunk. A determined parent to try to make something out of nothing in me and my life. I can remember times that I was defiant of her authority from adolescence into my adulthood and her late years of life sometime my defiance would rage. We both had and have a passion to stand up and take count of this thing or that thing or another thing. Some of those "things" were important and many other of those "things" were trivial in nature. Little did I know that in those "things" I was learning as a disciple of Mom to take a stand and to stake a claim. She was teaching me all along and I didn't even realize this. She was teaching me by example.
Teaching me when, as a small boy, I would witness her alone at the coffee table opening a little white Bible with a zipper. At least I think there was a zipper on that Bible. Did I break that zipper sometime or another? Maybe it didn't have a zipper and my memory fades, but the zipper and the opening of the Bible by Mom, as I watched from a distance, this personal time that Mom would take with the Bible in hand inspired me. This inspired me and made me curious throughout the rest of my life and even today... what is it about those words in that book?
So, from Mom, came this habit of opening the Bible and looking and searching and becoming a disciple of more than Mom but a disciple of Jesus.
And then the time of sitting at the kitchen table with scissors and paper in hand. Just me and Mom reading the passage about the fruits of the Spirit and cutting out the paper into the appropriate shapes.
By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
(Galatians 5:22-23a)
It seems this exercise was growth for both Mom and for me. How we both needed to exercise some of those fruits. How we both especially needed to exercise our love for one another in self-control. Oh the temper we both had and how to control that one! But it wasn't our control, it was more the giving up of self-control and the realization that both of us were now disciples of Jesus, me at my young age and Mom in her middle age years.
And then into our adult life. How many Bible conversations did we have on Sunday afternoons each week. What does this mean or what does that say to you? Questions with no clear answers and discussion that many times led to heated yet loving and sometimes even joking arguments. Fun times indeed as I remember.
It's hard to express how much took place for me between those pre-dawn hours of my life to those post-sunset hours of Mom's life. And my hope is that it's hard to express for Mom that same time frame. Yet I know at this moment in my life, Mom is beyond all of time and sees clearly the love of Christ Jesus that was working in our midst during that pre-dawn to post-sunset time period in my life and hers.
So, when I read in the passage of scripture above, I can see the angst that surely must be present in all people who seek to follow Jesus. Jesus is not promising that our earthly life will be easy and prosperous and all straight white teeth looking. Jesus tells us to get ready to "rumble." There will be fights and disagreements and arguments and persecution and pain in following Jesus. If we are passionate about being a disciple of Jesus it's not going to be a cake walk down the rosy path of life.
The disciple is not above the teacher. Look what Jesus endured! His family took him to be crazy at times and I'm sure some abandoned him and others fought it out with him and stayed by his side. Can I expect anything different? All secrets are open and the dirty laundry is out for all of the world to see sometimes.
Yet... yet... if we are passionate and exercise our faith and trust in Jesus we can hear Jesus tell us over and over again... "Do not fear."
"Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows."
Even with all of the flaws and the raging arguments... you are valuable to God. Yes, God can work with and works through all of that "stuff" for good. It may not be a peaceful experience at times. But as your passion for being a disciple of Christ grows in hope, love and understanding... you grow likewise. You grow to be an example to someone else. Someone else who may witness you picking up that white Bible and reading it. Someone else who may see you question faith, hope, love, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, suffering, death, illness, pain, life and everlasting life. You grow to be an example of the hands and feet of Jesus Christ here on this earth and in this life and in this time.
Yes, as a disciple of Jesus, you are put to the test and held to that passionate fire of the Holy Spirit to live out your faith... from the pre-dawn hours before sunrise till the hours past sunset. Those hours of life when we live for God in the presence of one another.
Thanks, Mom for the great times. Thanks for showing me the love of God in Christ Jesus. Thanks for all of the discussions and arguments. Thanks for bringing me to see Jesus in you, active and alive forever. Thanks be to God our Father and our Savior and the fire of the Holy Spirit in our passionate love for God. Thanks be to God!
Song
Butterflies had a special meaning to Mom, so I couldn't help but to present this song for your senses.
Prayer
Lord, I can only be humble and at awe of all you have done. I give you all glory and honor and praise with a thankful heart... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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