Ready or Not
We have always heard that there are two sides to every story, but we tend to associate that message with arguments.
After the priests had assembled with the elders, they devised a plan to give a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, "You must say, 'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.' If this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story is still told among the Jews to this day. - Matthew 28:12-15
In today's Gospel reading, Jesus appears to the women after his resurrection and the guards run to the elders to tell them what they had either heard or seen.
Gospel readers and believers see this account as a fabrication of the story of what happened to Jesus' body, but there are many today who believe the body must have been stolen and the resurrection account to be the fabrication.
Even Paul, known as Saul, would have argued that point. It was all a hoax, a plot to undermine the authority of the time.
It all comes down to a choice, doesn't it? I will believe what I choose to believe and no amount of persuasion or even evidence will sway me from my position.
We can call it faith or stubbornness, but eventually, something will take place in our lives to provide us with overwhelming confirmation or denial, and that will be the moment we come to our true choice.
We can try to lead others to our faith, but that is difficult to do. We are all suspect of those who try.
Or we can live as examples of our faith and let God do the work of connecting the dots, bringing others to us and us to others.
I encountered someone yesterday for whom that may have been the case. He found his way to us for help and received it cheerfully, willingly and with love.
We were ready for him, even though we didn't know he was coming.
That, I think, is what Jesus taught. Be eager, willing and prepared to help others.
It is not that hard to do, and He will send folks to us whether we are ready or not.
So, those who choose not to believe, have no example to follow. They don't get to see a life of readiness to serve. So, they will never be truly ready to help. They will miss the chance to be the hands of God.
I pray for them. Someday, they will discover that they could have been a light for others.
More to come...