MOUNTAIN OF FRIENDS
DAY 49: When our kids started school, and particularly in their teen years, I prayed often that God would not allow them to be popular. Having been a kid, and having my own human nature to instruct me, I know that there are far more risks to popularity than rewards. Surrounded by a throng, it is difficult to know on whom you can rely. Having others pander to you can give any person a false sense of how the world will treat them. And having once tasted popularity, the temptation to do whatever it takes to stay in the spotlight can be overwhelming. Popularity was not something I hoped my kids would experience. What I did hope was that they would have a few loyal and trustworthy companions who would stand by them in the best of times and the worst, when they were deserving and when they were not. Those are the only kind of people it is worth being popular with... and I am thankful that each of my kids found such friends.
I was so heartened today as I read that that is also what Jesus was looking for - the only difference was He was fully deserving of such companions.
In Mark 3 Jesus was entering the height of popularity. His teaching wowed the crowds. His miracles astonished them. His wisdom was unequaled, even by the most schooled religious leaders. As a result:
7 ... a large crowd followed (Jesus). They came from all over ... The news about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him. 9 Jesus instructed his disciples to have a boat ready so the crowd would not crush him. 10 He had healed many people that day, so all the sick people eagerly pushed forward to touch him.
Can you imagine being so popular that you had to have an escape car (or boat, in His case) at the ready to keep from getting crushed? But were all these people "friends?" Were they there to support Jesus? Would they do anything for Him, or did they just want something from Him? The vast numbers were not called friends; they were recorded as "crowds" - crowds that might easily crush him to get what they wanted. Yet, Jesus had compassion and healed them anyway. He was there for them, not the other way around.
But Jesus did not come to be an island to Himself. He was looking for His own circle of friends, those He could share Himself with, trust and invest in. But not just anybody would do. He didn't throw a party and invite everyone he knew. Instead, He called out more specifically; after they left the crowds behind,
13... Jesus went up on a mountain and called the ones He wanted to go with him. And they came to him. Then He selected twelve of them to be His regular companions, and He called them apostles.
Jesus called the ones He knew would climb the mountain with Him. I'm sure He also knew the ones who would not. Then, even among those He called, He chose only twelve to truly share His life. Two things struck me about this story in Jesus life. First, as I said, was that success to Him was not being surrounded by the crowd all the time - fawned over by vast numbers. Certainly if anyone deserves a fan club it is Jesus, but He saw no value in such shallow adoration. Second though, was that He also didn't shun the value of true friendship in His life and mission. When you think about it that is even more surprising. God doesn't NEED anything, so Jesus must have wanted intimate friendships - people to witness and share His life, people who would learn to love Him more than they loved themselves.
Both lessons were a pinprick for me today. As a speaker and radio host, God constantly warns me not to love the applause of the crowd. Crowds are fickle. Crowds don't share your life. Crowds don't challenge you to follow hard after God. Friends do that. And that is my second challenge. I'm kind of a self sufficient girl. I can get in my hobbit hole of an office and be content surrounded by my cats and dogs... and pig. But then, other than my family who are basically captives, who is sharing my life... and whose life am I sharing. I am blessed to have a handful and close dear precious God-loving women who climb the mountain with me, no matter what kind of terrain we encounter. And I climb with them. Today I am reminded to greatly value those relationships for they are precious indeed.
Finally, I am humbled to think that of all the people in all the world, Jesus called me to go up the mountain with Him - to be His companion as He has promised to be mine. WHO ARE YOU MOUNTAIN CLIMBING WITH?
Day 49 of 365
Leviticus 6
Leviticus 7:1-27
Mark 3:7-30
Psalm 37:1-11
Proverbs 10:3-4
I was so heartened today as I read that that is also what Jesus was looking for - the only difference was He was fully deserving of such companions.
In Mark 3 Jesus was entering the height of popularity. His teaching wowed the crowds. His miracles astonished them. His wisdom was unequaled, even by the most schooled religious leaders. As a result:
7 ... a large crowd followed (Jesus). They came from all over ... The news about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him. 9 Jesus instructed his disciples to have a boat ready so the crowd would not crush him. 10 He had healed many people that day, so all the sick people eagerly pushed forward to touch him.
Can you imagine being so popular that you had to have an escape car (or boat, in His case) at the ready to keep from getting crushed? But were all these people "friends?" Were they there to support Jesus? Would they do anything for Him, or did they just want something from Him? The vast numbers were not called friends; they were recorded as "crowds" - crowds that might easily crush him to get what they wanted. Yet, Jesus had compassion and healed them anyway. He was there for them, not the other way around.
But Jesus did not come to be an island to Himself. He was looking for His own circle of friends, those He could share Himself with, trust and invest in. But not just anybody would do. He didn't throw a party and invite everyone he knew. Instead, He called out more specifically; after they left the crowds behind,
13... Jesus went up on a mountain and called the ones He wanted to go with him. And they came to him. Then He selected twelve of them to be His regular companions, and He called them apostles.
Jesus called the ones He knew would climb the mountain with Him. I'm sure He also knew the ones who would not. Then, even among those He called, He chose only twelve to truly share His life. Two things struck me about this story in Jesus life. First, as I said, was that success to Him was not being surrounded by the crowd all the time - fawned over by vast numbers. Certainly if anyone deserves a fan club it is Jesus, but He saw no value in such shallow adoration. Second though, was that He also didn't shun the value of true friendship in His life and mission. When you think about it that is even more surprising. God doesn't NEED anything, so Jesus must have wanted intimate friendships - people to witness and share His life, people who would learn to love Him more than they loved themselves.
Both lessons were a pinprick for me today. As a speaker and radio host, God constantly warns me not to love the applause of the crowd. Crowds are fickle. Crowds don't share your life. Crowds don't challenge you to follow hard after God. Friends do that. And that is my second challenge. I'm kind of a self sufficient girl. I can get in my hobbit hole of an office and be content surrounded by my cats and dogs... and pig. But then, other than my family who are basically captives, who is sharing my life... and whose life am I sharing. I am blessed to have a handful and close dear precious God-loving women who climb the mountain with me, no matter what kind of terrain we encounter. And I climb with them. Today I am reminded to greatly value those relationships for they are precious indeed.
Finally, I am humbled to think that of all the people in all the world, Jesus called me to go up the mountain with Him - to be His companion as He has promised to be mine. WHO ARE YOU MOUNTAIN CLIMBING WITH?
Day 49 of 365
Leviticus 6
Leviticus 7:1-27
Mark 3:7-30
Psalm 37:1-11
Proverbs 10:3-4
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