Assuming they would be faithful to Lord as he marched on Jerusalem, James and John boldly ask the Lord for a place at his right hand, and we wonder what they were thinking! Jesus is clear about the sorrowful and painful journey that awaits him, but James and John seem able to think only of his triumph. Denial, as they say, is not just a river in Egypt.
The soldier or the Christian who does feel fear is too often reckless. Committed to the idea that their cause is just, they believe the Lord will rescue them from every hazard and restore them to their rightful place among the elect. Because they judge fear to be a weakness, they lack caution and preparedness for the war that awaits them.
Living a simple gospel life that does not seek power over others can feel like war. With so many others urging us to buy and possess things that we do not really need to want, we sometimes believe that having a new Ipad or Smartphone will make us powerful and give us status in our community. More dangerously, it gets is the way of Christ's reminder to his disciples that he has come, "not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many." Mk 10:45
Today, don't buy anything you don't need.
Whose life of service to others most impresses you with its gospel power?
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