Excuses, Excuses...

Matthew 8:18-22 (New International Version)

18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.

19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."

20 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

21 Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Followers of Jesus Christ are challenged to seriously consider the cost of their commitment - I've touched on this topic in earlier blogs. If we believe in what we say we believe then Christ needs to come above everything else. Discipleship requires discipline. Excuses shouldn't get in the way! The above passage gives us further food for thought on this subject. In this modern day and age, the request made by the disciple (verse 21) seems more than reasonable. After all, respect for one's parents is an important duty. However, let's look a little deeper at the context... the following paragraphs follow a number of hours research!

In Jewish customs and traditions, the deceased has to be buried within 24 hours, with a period of mourning for seven days afterwards. There are some very practical reasons for this - remember that Israel is a country with a hot climate. Burial (usually placing the body in a cave or tomb) will usually take place on the same day as death.

Most groups of scholars interpret the disciple's statement as an excuse; stating that he wanted to wait until his father, who was unwell, had died. That might mean a delay of days, or even weeks... Another interpretation that I read recently was that the disciple may be talking about a secondary burial, where the bones of a relative are moved from the tomb into an Ossuary, which could be as long as a year or so after death. If that was the case here, that could mean a delay of a few months...

Whichever the interpretation that you favour, the issue is all too clear. Christ's rather direct statement is not intended as an instruction to ignore family ties or obligations, to not show compassion. That would be contrary to other passages of scripture (e.g. Luke 7:11-15). No, this statement is in response to a man who's priorities were a little vague, unclear. There was a reason why he just couldn't fulfil the obligation. The disciple said he was keen to follow Christ's way, but when it came to the crunch, there was the excuse, delaying that tough final decision as to whether to follow Him. Christ knew that - and knew that there were others who could have performed that task for him. Those who weren't called to the sort of new life that Jesus offered. In fact, those who were 'spiritually dead'...

It's a bit of a cliché of mine, however I know that there are a thousand reasons why we should do anything, and a thousand reasons why we shouldn't. Perhaps it might be whether to go to church today, or to volunteer to help someone. If you want to find an excuse not to do it, they are pretty easy to find. However, deep down, you will know whether that reason is justified. Oh, and of course He will know...

What's your choice?

Free or Costly?

Do we really appreciate things that are free? This has been the subject of debate for a while in my family. You see, I have both friends and family who regularly use EBay to pass on unwanted goods or buy presents and who sometimes find out to their cost that things aren't always what they appear to be (caveat emptor). As for me, I much prefer to donate things to charities or to use facilities like Freecycle and Freegle, local web-based groups designed to keep useful items out of landfill, making these available to people if they are still useful. But does the value on the price tag make all the difference? 

On a similar tack, a recent chat with someone about voluntary work gave me pause for thought. 'You mean to say - you actually do this for nothing?' He could not understand why I could possibly give up my time for no financial reward... 

I think people get suspicious of our motives. The concept of 'free' in the 21st Century is often nothing more than a marketing tool, with a hidden agenda just around the corner... are we going to set signed up for something expensive on the back of the 'freebie'? A sprat to catch a mackerel', as they used to say...  is it going to turn into a costly venture, with a hard-sell pitch soon to follow...

Or perhaps there's those who don't see the freebie as being worth anything. A poor copy of the 'real thing'. One example could be the free newspaper that spills through our letterbox. Filled with ads that pay for the paper, some actually have very little actual news contained in its pages! My son and I have been looking at free apps for his iPod.  Most of the apps on offer are samples or cut-down trial versions. They aren't the real deal. 

Why is it surprising then that the free gift of God's love is often dismissed or rejected? Are folk wary of a forthcoming hard-sell sales pitch? Is the offer a poor substitute for what they perceive as 'real life'? Is it the real deal?

I think we need to start emphasising the costly things we do for Him. It is worthwhile, but it is costly ...

‘Doth that man love his Lord who would be willing to see Jesus wearing a crown of thorns, while for himself he craves a chaplet of laurel? Shall Jesus ascend to his throne by the cross, and do we expect to be carried there on the shoulders of applauding crowds? Be not so vain in your imagination. Count you the cost, and if you’re not willing to bear Christ’s cross, go away to your farm and to your merchandise, and make the most of them. Only let me whisper this in your ear, “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” '  - Charles Spurgeon