Validation or Confirmation?
Mark 12:28-34
Why did the scribe approach Jesus?
One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Then the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that 'he is one, and besides him there is no other' and 'to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,' and 'to love one's neighbor as oneself,'-- this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." After that no one dared to ask him any question. - Mark 12:28-34
Was he looking for validation? Or was he looking for confirmation?
Remember the lawyer who came to Jesus asking what he must do to be saved? He was seeking validation. He told Jesus all the things he had done from his youth, but wanted to hear Jesus say what this scribe heard him say, "You are not far from the Kingdom."
How do we approach God?
Yes, I said God instead of Jesus because I truly believe God chose to come in human form to experience life with us and to show us how we could be living a better, more fulfilled life now, before we die.
So, perhaps some who are reading this will struggle with that, and that is expected from all of us, even the staunch believers. We have our reasons to doubt what we long to believe.
Like the scribe who appears to be truly seeking wisdom from the teacher, we toss these concepts around in our minds over and over, hoping that someday everything will click into place and we can be as confident in our faith as some of the people we encounter.
But then there are those who pooh-pooh our attempt at faith in what they say is not real.
No one can validate or confirm our faith for us. It is a personal relationship we have with God, and that is what makes it special. It also makes it real.
We go along with our daily dose of doubt, and we wonder if we are being foolish, one way or the other.
Sure, God could appear to us, sit and talk with us, but would we be convinced it is God? Instead, he sends others who do what Jesus taught, to be a friend, a neighbor who loves you.
More to come...
Yes, the daily dose of doubt is the tough part!