Wednesday 16 October 2019

Psalm: Psalm 76

Background

Jesus’ parable of the weeds has got under the disciples skin. They are curious to understand what it means but seem reluctant to ask in front of the crowd (13:1). Perhaps it is embarrassment to appear less adequate than they should as Jesus disciples, but they keep their questions to themselves until they have the privacy of a house (v. 36).We can imagine them gathering around Jesus and then the request comes, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field."

There was a lad in my class at school who would often ask the teacher for clarification. I can hear him say, "Sir, I don’t understand. Can you explain?" I would sigh with relief, because he asked the question that through embarrassment or shyness I did not. I gained a lot from his curiosity, humility and determination.

The disciple’s question to Jesus is very different from those of his opponents. They seem to be genuinely open to learn, discover and grow. In contrast, questions about paying taxes to Caesar appear to be traps, with little desire to gain knowledge. While the group of twelve disciples are a long way from discovering the full identity of the kingdom of God they are making significant headway. Their curiosity and openness ensures they take the opportunity to discover more. They are not content to allow important questions to stay unasked.

To Ponder:

• What big questions are you wrestling with?
• Do you find it easy to ask for help when something is unclear?
• Now is the time of the year when garden centres are selling daffodil bulbs for next spring. What might you learn from planting now in October and waiting to see them grow?