Luke 18:31-34

Luke 18:31-34 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.” The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.

In this account, Jesus knew his disciples lacked understanding of what would happen to him, yet I think He gave them this information so when the time came that He was handed over to the Gentiles, they would remember his words and begin to understand what He meant. As they watched his persecution, heard the insults, and viewed his eventual death, they would recall that Jesus foretold these events yet willingly went to Jerusalem. They would remember that He predicted the fulfillment of God's Word and his own death and resurrection. As their eyes were opened, they would remember also that at the time, they did not understand.

In my life I have found myself in situations where I thought I was coping well, but I learned that I did not understand. I did not rightly discern the needs of others or my part in a difficult interaction or I did not understand what God wanted me to do and how I should behave as his child. I think as the mother of five, one area that stands out in my life is the raising of my children. I find that many Christians think they have it together when it comes to parenting, yet these same people often lack understanding of God's ways: his unconditional love, forgiveness, and ability to encourage and to teach us, his children. I realized with our first child that we were her gods: she looked up to us, listened to us, and tried so hard to please us and to earn our praise and acceptance. Yet often Cliff or I overreacted to minor or insignificant actions and failed to support and to love her as God loves us.

When we finally realized that we were on a sure path to destruction and in the process of thoroughly discouraging and defeating her, we sought God earnestly for answers from the Holy Spirit and the Word. As we read the New Testament through, God showed us so much about his loving kindness and tender mercy; He told us to do to our daughter what we wanted done to us, to treat her as we wanted to be treated. This opened a huge door of opportunity for us as we grew in faith, putting our trust in God, expecting the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and to change us, so we could love our children as God so loved the world. Change takes time and we did not turn around overnight, but the more we prayed and hid the Word in our hearts, the more we saw fruit from God's work of grace in us. Actually whenever we prayed and asked for wisdom about our children rather than following someone's ideas or a methodology for child rearing, we received wonderful insights and fresh "manna" for each day.

We began to praise the good and to take the bad to the Lord, expecting He would do for our children what He was doing for us, perfecting and making us more like Jesus. I learned to say, "I'm sorry. I did not treat you as I want to be treated." Cliff and I learned to give more grace and mercy and to avoid resorting to shame or humiliation while overlooking childish mistakes and errors in judgment. In response to problems, we would say, "I am sorry that happened. I know you feel bad; we will ask Jesus to help you do better next time." The Word says the law of love is more powerful that the Old Testament law of crimes and punishments. You want your children to chose right over wrong out of love for God not because they fear your temper or a harsh punishment, and only God changes hearts. As we saw the fruit of the Spirit in our children, we changed as well, becoming less reactive and angry and more loving and concerned parents. As we pointed our children to Jesus, we drew closer as well. Love and grace are contagious, and we reaped what we had sown as our children gave us grace. One day as I apologized to my young son, Doug, he interrupted me, "That's okay, Mommy, we all make mistakes. That's why we all need Jesus." What a blessing to receive the same loving encouragement and forgiveness I was giving to my children daily.

Today, there may be areas where you think you are functioning well, but if you drew back and viewed yourself honestly with new eyes, you would see that you just do not understand. Happily, once we realize that, God is ready to teach us. A broken and contrite spirit He will not refuse. He has been preparing you for new things, a change in attitude, a better dialogue with your friends, your spouse, and your children or grandchildren. Repent where needed, ask forgiveness where you have wronged another, and then walk in the freedom wherewith Christ has set you free. Make an altar of faith: on March 18, 2010, I let go of my old ways and embraced THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIGHT: Jesus who humbled himself as a sacrifice for many.