Tom's Message - August 11
Hope you’re having an awesome, praise-filled day!
I was until just a bit ago…
I had a momentary setback after an “encounter” with the bossiest person I know!
Actually I don’t technically know her.
Because she isn’t technically a person.
And I don’t think it counts if you get flustered in a personal exchange with a person who isn’t actually a person!
Ok. I’ll go ahead and tell you.
It’s the woman who talks to you out of the scanner when you go thru the self-check aisle at Kroger’s.
She doesn’t actually exist (I guess it’s a recording of some sort) but is she ever bossy!!
“Welcome, valued customer. Scan your first item and place it in the bag.”
Ok. Well, that’s why I’m here. I mean, what else am I going to do? Eat my first item and place it in the garbage?? And what if I decided to scan my second item instead of my first one?
(I guess that would make my second item my first one?)
“Place the item in the bag.”
Gimme a sec.
“An attendant has been called to assist you.”
You tattled on me!! What’d I do??
“First put the coins in the coin receiver and then put in the bills in the bills receiver.”
Ok. Well, you actually don’t have to do it that way. You can put the bills in first and it works just as good!
“Please take your change and your receipt. Thank you for shopping at Kroger’s.”
Well, I bought four bananas; I don’t really need my receipt unless I have to exchange them. Which I won’t. And I’ll take my change almost every time.
Shuuu!! She’s a lot!
(I can say that without being judgmental because she doesn’t exist!)
Jesus has lots of instructions for us. He has a lot to say about what items come first and where our money should go. In fact, He calls His instructions for us, commands!
He told us our job and mission is to go into all the world and teach every willing heart “to obey all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)
One time, I decided to make a list of all the things that Jesus commanded people to do in the Gospels. If He said, “Get up, take your mat, and walk,” I counted that as three commands. Once He told someone to “sell everything you have, give it to the poor, come, and follow Me.” So I counted that as four things.
So, in the Gospel of Matthew, there are 159 commands of Jesus.
In Mark there are 76.
The Gospel of Luke has 167.
And John has 75.
The total is 472 commands!!
That’s a lot!
But technically, they’re not all for us. Jesus said, “Be quiet!” (or it could even be translated “Shut up!”) three times. But it was something He told two evil spirits to do and He told one storm to “shut up!”!
But everything that He tells us to do…
Everything He COMMANDS us to do…
in the Gospels…
should be the biggest desire of our hearts!!
For three reasons!
One, He’s Lord of all!! Jesus is Almighty God Who became also a human being, Who came to love us, die for us, pay for us, and rise from the dead for us! Our King of kings and Lord of lords has the right to tell us to do anything He wants!
Two, He’s the Creator of all things. And He knows how life in this world works!
He made it!
So, when He told us that if we want to be “great”…great people who live great lives…we ought to be servants of everyone and serve everyone, it’s because He made the world and the world’s Maker has the love and heart of a servant! He put His own stamp on the world He made and that’s why being a servant works!
And three, He’s Jesus! Jesus is God. God is Love. Jesus is Love! And when Love Incarnate tells you what to do, Love is the only reason why!
When I read over my list of all the commands of Jesus, I was shocked
(tho’ I shouldn’t have been!)
Most of His commands were really just...blessings!
“Be clean!” (Luke 5:13)
“Take heart! Your sins are forgiven!” (Matthew 9:2)
“Go in peace!”
“Let the children eat all they want!”
“Don’t be afraid!” (He said that one 15 times!)
“Stop doubting and believe!” (John 20:27)
“Just believe!” (5:36)
When I finally get it into my stubborn head that Jesus just wants to love and bless me with everything He tells me to do, I’ll let Him “boss” me all day long!