Remembering

Imagine you are a fisherman in Judea in the first century. You have a family and obligations to your co-workers. Perhaps you have a mortgage and other debts; you have aging parents and in-laws that need your help; you have responsibilities. Life is busy! Then, one day a strange rabbi shows up at the worksite and invites you to follow him on a quest. You’re not quite sure where he’s going or what this is really about… would you accept his invitation?

As a parent, I would probably do my best to persuade my son/daughter NOT to accept the invitation. Considering Jesus’ invitation to “Follow Me” from nearly any perspective seems risky and honestly quite irresponsible.

We can read Jesus’ sermon on the Mount as a kind of advertisement for a new kind of kingdom lifestyle that shifts how we think about the everyday things in life. If we consider this, then Matthew dedicates almost half of the lesson to put priorities in their proper place, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19-20). Quickly followed by “don’t worry about life so much,” since “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” and “Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34).

Worrying about life can lead to resentment about where we stand in comparison to people around us. Paul says later in 2 Corinthians 10:12, “When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” That comparison often leads to jealousy and envy. Therefore, Jesus seems to link worry to judging in His sermon. He says, “Do not judge… Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:1-3). Worrying and judging distract you from the life you have (even if it has plenty of scars in it). Instead, if we trust His crazy invitation to follow Him, we’ll find that “[His] thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways [His] ways, [because] As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways…” (Isaiah 55:8-9). That’s why we trust Him, we build on His foundation, and we listen to His voice.

Thankfully, that voice, those foundations have been shown to us by Scripture and by Godly people in our lives that have modeled Christ well. This Memorial Day, remember those who have shed light on the high road and narrow path leading to true life! Because counting your many blessings, naming them one by one, may surprise you with what the Lord has done, and through whom He revealed it. So don’t worry about the path, just stay on it, trusting God, and stay clear of judgments that cloud our vision of the path Christ is leading us on.