Trusting His Authority

When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.

He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well. Luke 7:1-10

This week I have been challenged more than once by a particular student who would really like to be in charge. Sometimes it pushes my buttons. I try to always respond calmly, but after the umpteenth time of listening to arguments erupt over whose turn it is to be leader, my patience wears thin. Today, I found myself saying very firmly in a raised voice, “If you don’t stop arguing about this, then no one will get to be the leader.” At that, things got quiet for a minute. Finally, I thought, they are recognizing my authority!

But then, not even 15 minutes later, when I corrected a student and prompted her to do something the correct way, she responded with, “But that’s not the way I do it!” She didn’t really care that she wasn’t doing it the way I was asking her to. She wanted to do it her own way - it was easier for her and more comfortable, and she liked it that way, even though it wasn’t correct.

This week, I studied the story of the centurion and how Jesus responded to him.

This Roman centurion was a man who understood authority. He lived it in his military position every day. He expected those under his authority to obey his commands, just as he obeyed the commands of those in authority over him.

And when he sent these Jewish leaders to Jesus to ask Jesus to heal his sick servant, he understood that Jesus was the ultimate authority. He didn’t need Jesus to physically show up at his house. The centurion knew that all Jesus had to do was give the command, and it would be done.

And did you catch how Jesus felt about that? He was amazed at this man’s faith, and the centurion’s servant was healed. I don’t think very many people did or said things that amazed Jesus, but this centurion’s statement of faith in Jesus’ authority made an impression.

It makes me stop and think about my own faith. Am I more like my students, arguing and attempting to always do things my way? Or am I submitted fully to the Lord’s ultimate authority over my life? Am I willing to let Him be in control and completely confident that my requests in His hands will be handled in the very best way, according to His will?

My students don’t always understand why I ask them to do the things I ask them to do. They don’t always see the plan I have that will ultimately help them be more successful at school. Sometimes, they trust me and do it the way I ask. Sometimes, they do it the way I ask just because I’m the teacher and they know they could get in trouble if they don’t. Sometimes, they stubbornly refuse to do what I ask.

And yes, I am relating to that struggle tonight. Sometimes I don’t want to do things the way God asks, even though I know I should. I know He is trustworthy. I know His ways are always best. I know that He knows and sees things that I can’t even begin to understand, but I still struggle to lay aside my own agenda and let Him be in charge of my life.

Lord, help me to have faith like the centurion. Help me to trust You and submit to Your authority in my life every day.

Asking for Band Aids

Image found at: https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/earle-dickson-band-aid-1921/

9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9-11

Last week, I had a group of younger students around my table when suddenly one student held out her hand and exclaimed, “I’m bleeding!” I glanced at her palm, and sure enough, there was a small spot of blood. It looked like just a small scratch, but over the years, I have learned that sometimes it’s easier to offer a quick bandage and roll on. And I knew that this student was not likely to let it go with a quick, “You’ll be fine.”

So I told her to wait just a minute until we had finished an activity, and then I would get a bandage out of my desk for her. She calmed quickly, and we continued our activity. I walked to my desk, got a band aid, and returned to the table.

But when I asked her to show me where she was bleeding again so that I could place the bandage on it, instead of showing me her palm, she tilted her head back and pointed up her nostril!

“Wait a minute,” I said. “I thought your hand was bleeding. Are you telling me that it was from your nose?”

“Uh huh.”

“And you want me to put a band aid on your nose?” I asked.

She nodded in response, eyes wide, and lower lip protruding.

But there was no way I was doing that. I bit back a laugh and told her I could not put a bandage on her nose. Instead, I directed her to get a tissue and use some hand sanitizer!

I knew that a band aid was really just to make her feel better, and I was willing to put one on her hand. But a band aid over a nostril is just not going to help anything. There definitely would have been laughter at her expense, and I really doubt she would have felt better at that point.

She didn’t really need a band aid. She needed to keep her finger out of her nose -- and possibly some relief from the very dry winter air we’ve been experiencing lately.

And right about here is where I start thinking about some of the things I ask God for. How many of those things are really just to make me feel better? How many of those things wouldn’t even be necessary if I had handled the situation better in the first place? How many of those requests would end up being something that would cause me more grief in the long run?

I am so thankful that God, in His infinite wisdom and abundant love for me, answers my prayers with what I need instead of just giving me what I ask for. I am so thankful that I can completely trust Him with my requests, knowing that He will not simply grant me everything I ask for just because I asked for it. Instead, sometimes, He hands me the tissue and the hand sanitizer because that is exactly what I need.

Lord, thank you for answering my prayers the way that only You can -- knowing exactly what I really need even when I don’t. Help me to trust You more each day and to understand that when You don’t answer the way I am asking You to, that it is because You know what is best for me, and You love me too much to give me anything else.

The Greatest Is Love

image found at: https://4mygodsglory.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/love-god.jpg

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. 1Corinthians 13:1-8a

One of my students stopped our lesson today to tell me all about how excited she was to go home after school. When I asked why, she said, “Because after school I get to decorate my Valentime's box!” There was going to be tissue paper and special stickers, and she just couldn’t wait!

One of the reasons I think the students get so excited about Valentine's Day is because they really enjoy giving each of their classmates a little treat. They enjoy getting the little cards with their corny jokes and showing each other a little love.

It has me thinking about showing love to others. It’s pretty easy to say the words, but it is not always easy to live it out. And yet, that is what Jesus taught us to do. The greatest commandments, Jesus said, are to love God and love our neighbor (see Matthew 22).

Paul really explains what it looks like to love in 1 Corinthians 13. Love should be patient, kind, protective, trusting, hoping, persevering. Love should not be envious, boastful, proud, dishonoring, self-seeking, easily angered. And Paul says if we do good things, but do them without love, those good things are worthless. Like, really worth nothing. Meaningless. Save your energy because without love it’s just noise.

I have to be honest, I can easily slip into the habit of doing things without love. Sometimes I do things that I know I should do, but in my heart, there is pride and selfishness. There is anger and score-keeping. The “good thing” I do is not an expression of love, but an act done for recognition or to uphold a certain image. Maybe I even do a “good thing” to try to elevate my own status above someone else’s.

I don’t want to be like that. I try really hard not to be like that. But sometimes, I’m like that anyway. And that is not love.

But sometimes I am so overcome by the love Jesus has shown me that I can’t help but show that love to someone else. I want to be the woman patiently waiting in the grocery check-out line with a smile and a bit of conversation. I want to be the one anonymously giving generously to help someone with a need. I want to be the friend that protects others, gives the benefit of the doubt, reacts with grace, and easily lets go if wronged.

I’m definitely not there yet, but God is still working on me. He has shown me so much grace and love -- over and over again! When I remember how God loves me, it makes it much easier to show love to others.

So this “Valentime's” Day, I hope that you receive God’s amazing love! But I also hope that we can all take a minute to show that kind of love to the others around us. What a difference we could make in this world if we could only learn how to be better at loving one another!

Father God, thank You for the gift of Your great love!  Help us to examine our hearts this week and to see our true motives.  Help us to be the kind of people who truly love others as You love.  Make our hearts more like Yours.