Wednesday, February 25, 2015

hope for the thick headed

today's readings: Leviticus 16:29-18:30, Mark 7:24-8:10, Psalm 41:1-13, Proverbs 10:15-16

so the reading from Mark today holds out hope for the thick headed.

I mean... really? the disciples JUST SAW Jesus feed 5,000 people with just a little food.

and just a few days later, they face the same situation. and what do they say? "How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in the wilderness?" but Jesus doesn't even chide them for their stubborn doubt and slow learning. He just patiently says "How much bread do you have?"

besides the first lesson (God puts up with our stupidity and patiently teaches us again and again when we need the lesson repeated), there is another lesson here. He asks "what do you have?"

what is that in your hand? what do you have to offer, even if it is a little thing? He can take whatever you've got, even if it's tiny, and turn it into something amazing.

God, please keep knocking on my thick head until I learn that you can turn even my little talents into something useful for You.

3 comments:

Laurie said...

With my job I Sometimes have to tell people their child is not disabled, but he is a slow learner. They automatically jump to the conclusion (usually) that their child CAN'T learn. That is so far from the truth! Some of my slow learners are the absolute best at doing things with their hands, such as being a hair dresser, mechanic, or craftsman. I thnk as Christians we all are slow learners and we all have something to bring to the table. We shouldn't let the fact that we are different and unique stop us from doing what we do best-even if it isn't what the world thinks is cool. In high s cool my th director and basketball coach pegged me as an encourager. Lately I've been thinking about that and have been trying to revitalize that gift. No, it doesn't make me popular by the world standards, but that really doesn't matter. I mat be a slow learner at evangelizing but I am not a slow learner at encouraging others.

Unknown said...

I don't know where you got your thick headedness from, I'm open minded and so easy to get along with. Being thick headed sometimes gets a person into deep stuff because he/she puts their ideas in front of what God would have them do. Not that that has ever happened to me of course.

Julie said...

My my my, the previous posts by Jeff and Bob leave me speechless. Maybe the 1st feeding of the 5000 the disciples though was a one time thing......who knows. However, how many times does God help us out of situations and we thank him and smile and then.......next time we find ourselves worrying fretting and anxious. Lord let me begin my concerns with coming to you 1st instead of last.