Sunday 06 July 2014

Background

Working as a mission partner in a Grenadian school hasopened my eyes and ears to a whole new range of interactions. Likeany school around the world there is good and bad. Some days peerpressure and calling out about a person's mother, has ended withrocks having to be prized from the hands of a 12 year old who isready to 'yoke' another student with it. Yet at other times thegenerosity, loving and playful spirit has shone through childrenwho have so little in terms of material resources.

In today's passage Jesus uses two pictures of children'sbehaviour to help us understand what he is saying. The first(verses 16-19) is the picture of name calling and peer pressureused to represent those who were so keen to label himself and Johnbecause they did not fit with the norm expected of religiousteachers of the time. The second picture (verses 25-30) is of thosewho trust in Jesus as loving infants willing to surrender to God'swill, while those who are "wise" and "intelligent" (v. 25) miss thepoint of Jesus' presence, seemingly so wrapped up in defining whatis correct and right.

Jesus offer is of a different way for everyone. The "yoke" (v.29) was a device used to make animals take a load in agriculture.It was also a common metaphor to refer to the teachings of theHebrew scriptures. Jesus offers an end to the load placed on peopleby the religious teachers of the day using the scriptures. Heoffered a change for a people weary of the pressure, name callingand spiritual violence, and the promise of a way that encouragedpeople to learn from him, a gentle and humble teacher. Ultimatelywe see that the Father has sent the son Jesus, so that in trustinghim we can find a safe and secure place of generosity and grace forour lives.

To Ponder

• Have you ever felt pressurised to conform to a certainreligious idea or a certain spiritual yoke? What happened?

• What "yokes" do people wear today? Are they religious orotherwise?

• How can you challenge people to take off their "yoke" and takeup Jesus?