RETURN TO THE SOURCE VI

CULTIVATING A TEACHABLE SPIRIT

“The best of human beings are human beings at best.”  We come into this world with nothing, clothed only in humility and innocence.  As we grow we begin to gather things unto ourselves; knowledge, position, reputation.  Eventually our humility changes into pride and our innocence into a sense of entitlement.  As I read the Gospels I can see that transition slowly sneak into the lives of the disciples.  Jesus chose ordinary people of the day to teach and train to carry out the message and the mission that he was sent to give to the world.  Over the three years of being with Jesus their humility slowly changed into pride and their innocence into entitlement.  Several times Peter started stepping in and telling Jesus what he should and shouldn’t do.  James and John started putting in their bid to sit in a place of power when the kingdom came forth.  Judas got a little money hungry and rebuked Jesus for wasting money on perfume.  I imagine the others did things to strut their stuff as special men who hung out with the Messiah.

When Jesus was crucified and died on the cross all that changed.

The disciples were not viewed as ‘special’ anymore.  Now they were viewed as suspect because of their association with Jesus; they were afraid of the Roman authorities and the Jewish authorities; they were discouraged with Jesus and disappointed with God’s message and mission that they now saw as ended.  “I’m going fishing” said Peter.  He was going back to who he was and what he did before he met this man whom he had given everything up for and followed for three years.  I can only imagine that the others had similar feelings and plans. In the end this was a good move for Peter, for the other disciples, and for me, as a present day follower of Jesus.

I remember going for a job interview after I finished college.  I sat across from Dee Goldberg, the manager of the Finance Department at the Potomac Foundation for Mental Health.  He kept asking me if I had any experience in this and that, had ever worked with this and that?  I answered no to all of his inquiries. I left that room knowing I would never be hired.  A few days later I got a phone call from Dee, telling me I had indeed gotten the job and told me when to report to work.  That first day I walked into his office and he handed me all my paper work and asked me if I had any questions before he would take me to my new office and introduce me to my new co-workers.

I said I had one question; how in the world did I get this job when I didn’t know how to do anything it required?  He looked at me and smiled.  Then he said, “Because you don’t know anything, that means I can train and teach you the ways I want things done, not have to compete with the way you think they should be done.”  He was one of the best bosses I ever worked for; he was patient, kind, thoughtful, a good teacher, and a trust worthy authority I could easily submit to.

The deflation of the disciples after they had failed Jesus during his hardest hour was actually a good and necessary thing for them.  They needed to know that they in themselves were nothing; it was and would continue to be Jesus and the Spirit of God within them that would make their lives and work productive. 

One of Jesus’ last times with them recorded in John 21 was a restorative time for all of them, especially Peter.  He took them back to the beginning, telling them to cast their nets on the right side and providing them with fish and bread to eat.  Then he reminded them as he spoke to Peter of the summation of all he had taught them.  “Love me, tend and feed my sheep.”

A few days later the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as Jesus had promised, clothing them once again with humility and innocence.  Now they would be fully prepared to speak the message and fulfill the mission they were chosen to speak and fulfill by God.

QUERY:

How can I keep myself ever mindful that I am clay in the hands

of an excellent Master Potter?

     How can I remain clothed in humility and innocence so that I

     totally trust and submit to the touch of the Master Potter’s

     hands rather than strive against it, wanting my own way?