Key Verse: "Because the sovereign Lord helps me, I will
not be disgraced. Therefore, I set my face like a flint, and I know I will not
be put to shame."
Isaiah 50:7
These are brave words for someone who knows that His mission
is to suffer and die for the sins of the world. The last leg of Jesus’ Journey
has begun. He knows what awaits Him at His destination, but out of love for you
and me, nothing can distract Him from His purpose. He is a man, no, a God, on a
mission to redeem humanity. He will not be deterred.
Then, there is James and John, Sons of Thunder, who still
want to take the world by storm. We respond so quickly to insults. They just
couldn't believe that the people in the village, to which they had been sent
for accommodations, wouldn't welcome Jesus, even if they were Samaritans! It was
a, "Do you know who I am?" moment if ever there was one for these two
disciples, but settling the score between Samaritans and Jews was not why Jesus
had come.
Jesus wasn't interested in getting embroiled in any more
conflict right now. There would be enough of that to come. So, I suppose we are
left to wonder, why, if Jesus knows all things, did He send a couple of His
disciples ahead, to a village where He would not be welcome?
I have two thoughts here. First of all, it could be said
that Jesus was willing to stay at their village. Jesus would not be able to be
accused of participating in the prejudice that Jews held against Samaritans.
Most Jews would have just gone around the village with their noses in the air,
thinking too much of themselves to ask for accommodations. Jesus doesn't make
the distinctions that Man makes. His grace is for all.
Secondly, it was an opportunity for, at least James and
John, and probably the other disciples, to learn the art of turning the other
cheek. Proverbs
19:11 says: "A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to
overlook an offense." They would have to overlook much bigger offenses in
the years to come. They'd better start now, while the Master is with them or
they would risk walking into more trouble than they could handle, detracting
from God's glory.
We could practice this art as well. It is part of the gift
of love that God calls us to display. We don't always have to get our way just
because we can. As Christ did not deserve to die, but chose to do so for you
and me, so, we too can die a little to ourselves in love for another. We can be hospitable to those who would not
welcome us, and we can be forgiving when we are not welcomed by them.
Hymn: "Christ Be My Leader"
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