I WONDER

As I read the Bible, I often wonder what it would have been like to walk with Jesus.  Would I have understood him?  Would I have questioned?  Would I have gotten tired while listening?  I bet the disciples were glad when Jesus went off to pray or stopped to talk with the children.  A break!  Time for an extra cup of coffee.  Down time. 

Think about it.  It would be like taking Jesus 101, 201, 301, and 401 all at the same time.  With no textbook!  And no snow days!  No matter where they were, Jesus would start teaching ….

Take the parables, for example.  There sits Jesus in a boat  saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed.  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil.  It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.  But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.  Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.  Whoever has ears, let them hear.”  Matthew 13:1-9

Would I have ears and hear?  Would I listen as Jesus taught?  Or would it go more like this:

“A farmer went out to sow  (Details.  I want details.  What farmer?  Was it a local farmer?  Do I know him?)  his seed.  (Wonder if he got his seed from ole Jake.)  As he was scattering the seed,  (Scattering?  Was he using a Cyclone seeder?)  some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  (Well, that is certainly not good farming practices.)  Some fell on rocky places,  (Maybe he would want to rent my rock picker.)  where it did not have much soil.  It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.  (Was this guy ever in FFA?)  But  (What?  Jesus said but – I better pay attention.)  when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  (Oh, I know this farmer now.  Lives next to my cousin.  Grew up in town.  Read a book on farming.  Considers himself an expert.)  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.  (With the cost of seed, he should be more careful.)  Still other seed fell on good soil,  (Yup, it is him.  Has one corner of the north acre where there is some good dirt.)  where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.  (With that yield I should have bid more at the auction.)  Whoever has ears, let them hear.” 

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As I read the Bible, I often wonder what it would have been like to walk with Jesus.  Would I have understood him?  Would I have questioned?  Would I have gotten tired while listening?  The answers --

Would I have understood him?  --  NO!  Jesus challenged everything the disciples had ever been taught.  He told them:  You are to love everyone .  You are to be kind.  You are to care for others.  You are to believe I am the Son of God.  Jesus challenges me the same way.  Jesus challenges everything the world tells me is good and right.  Jesus challenges me to love and be kind and to care for others and to trust Him.  To know with every breath I take that He is the Son of God.

Would I have questioned?  -- YES! – I am sure Jesus often wants to tell me, “Think Mary.  Listen.  Hear.”  What amazes me is that I can read a verse or a chapter and absolutely get nothing out of it.  Later, an hour, a day, a year, I will return to that verse or chapter and it is crystal clear. 

Would I have gotten tired while listening?  Did you read the “or would it go more like this” section?  I am human.  I can only absorb so much at one time.  Tired of listening, no.  But tired while listening, yes.  And hungry.  I would have been excited to see the fish and loaves being passed around.

I also wonder if Jesus ever got tired of the disciples.   Being around someone 24/7 can be a bit of a challenge.  Maybe that is why he sent the twelve off to drive out impure spirits and heal every disease and sickness.  Of course, there were rules.  (Matthew 10:5-42)  I can almost hear him saying, “A few days by myself.  What shall I do?”

I also wonder if Jesus ever gets tired of me?  Nope!  Positive Jesus would be thinking, “I haven’t heard from Mary today.  Mary being quiet usually means she is either trying to figure something out or getting herself into trouble.”

“Mary, what are you doing?”

Writing my blog.  How is it?

“You nailed the part about how you listen when I am trying to teach you something.  Your mind does seem to wonder.  I am glad you realize I never get tired of you.  Or any of my children.  Now those disciples… they could be a handful.”

Worse than me?

“I wouldn’t go that far.  Let’s just say they could be a bit dense at times.”

Like me?

“No.  Not that bad.”

You’re teasing me again.

“Am I?”