Best 'Teachable' Moment

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 14:5-18 ~~~ Psalm 115 ~~~ 

~~~ John 14:21-26 ~~~

The Holy Spirit will teach you everything
and remind you of all I told you.

Jesus promised that if you love him
 and keep his commandments
 he will send the Spirit to abide in you.

The Spirit has the power to teach you the ways of the Lord.
The Spirit offers you the opportunity
 to learn to be more like Jesus.

The Spirit abides in you. Are you taking advantage
 of this increased wisdom?

Every day the Spirit can reveal
 more and more of the beauty of God.

Are you willing to open yourself up
 to the power and wisdom of the Spirit?

Sometimes the Spirit within leads you into
environments you otherwise might not venture.

You might find yourself expressing a view
you previously had not even considered.

As the Spirit grows and strengthens within your soul
the more at peace you will be on a daily basis.

Saint Paul had faith, but he also allowed
the Spirit of God to flourish within his soul.
Allow this same Spirit, sent by Jesus,
 to remind you of all that he has taught.
The results just might be astounding...the possibilities boundless.

The Spirit will take advantage
 of the best 'teachable' moments to bless you.

~~~ Peace ~~~

A Teachable Moment

~~~ Jeremiah 18:18-20 ~~~ Psalm 31 ~~~ Matthew 20:17-28 ~~~

In the middle of Jesus giving his monologue

 revealing his passion and death,

a well-meaning mother approaches

him with requests for her sons. 

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,

he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves,

A monologue and a soliloquy are similar but very different. 

A Soliloquy is an utterance or discourse by a person

 who is talking to himself or herself or is disregardful of 

or oblivious to any listeners present.

Jesus delivers his words as a monologue,

he is directing his words to his disciples walking with him.

Jesus knew who was listening to his telling words.

The woman approaches Jesus as if she has not heard 

one word he just spoke aloud.

This mother sought honor and glory for her two sons

with no regard for the words Jesus had just spoken.
She was a strong Jewish mother.

Did this mother really believe that her sons 

could be seated on either side of Jesus

 without suffering right along with him?

Jesus was not talking to himself, as in a soliloquy.

Jesus was speaking aloud to his disciples

 to prepare them for what was coming.

Was he trying to scare them?

Was he  giving them the chance to back away?

Was he testing their loyalty?

Was he drawing on their compassion and love for him?

...whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;

whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.

Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve

and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Jesus uses this mother's request as a teachable moment.

His disciples loved Jesus there is no question about that,

but maybe they too were quarreling among themselves.

Did Jesus have a favorite?

Was there jealousy among these twelve ordinary men?

Did they trust one another?

Did they fear rejection by one another?

Jesus had just shared with them a very intense future.

A future filled with pain, suffering, true horror.

In the secrecy of their own hearts 

they had to admit relief at not being asked

 to make the same crucial journey.

The mother of  the sons Zebedee did not know

 what she was asking when she made her request known to Jesus.

She did not yet understand that Jesus came to surrender

 his life by dying on the cross for all.

Blessed with personal teachable moments

 offered out of love.

~~Peace~~~