Shutdown

“Broncos defense adjusts to shutdown Eagles”

Okay, that’s not the shutdown everyone is talking about…

“We shut down if we feel like we don’t matter or that your agenda is more important than ours."  Chris, 38

That quote may be closer to describing the present shutdown in the news.

Jesus used life situations of his day to highlight God’s agenda.  I wonder what He would say right now…?

Maybe something like the story of hanging out with Matthew’s friends? 

Passing along, Jesus saw a man at his work collecting taxes. His name was Matthew.  Jesus said, “Come along with me.” Matthew stood up and followed him.

Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew’s house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them. When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus’ followers. “What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riffraff?”

Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.”    Matthew 9:9-13 Message Version 

What a great example of the way of Jesus- addressing the less important things (religious exclusivity) in order to point out God’s agenda (“I’m after mercy”).

Jesus still “shows up” in our lives by bringing love and truth from His Word to the core of who we are (Hebrews 4:12).  Whenever Jesus shows up in a situation that isn’t working, we typically discover what we think is most important isn’t that big of a deal (or isn’t the biggest deal).

But without His presence, it’s like common sense drains out of us like an oil leak in our car.  The warning lights come on, but we ignore them.  Shut down or fit-throwing is inevitable.

So what can we do when it feels like we don’t matter or someone else’s agenda is more important than ours?  We can learn to follow Jesus in those times.  What would that look like?  Seriously, isn’t it easier to follow Jesus or to get along when things go our way?

 

Maybe a true sign of maturity is not shutting down or throwing a fit when things don’t go our way?

Ah, the invitation and the challenge…