Impressionable!

Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God . . .”

I get a “charge” out of watching people respond to something I have said with a raise of the eyebrow, or having them respond with a “huh?”

Maybe it’s because I am out to just to impress people! Well, that would prove that I am also impressionable, right? (In case you think I am going in circles, I am!)

Well, if that’s the case, people in general can be impressionable at times – even the natural world is impressionable at times – so I’m not alone! (See earlier blog "Hand Organizer"!) Even as I write, this particular winter seems to be making a statement – one of the worst in years!

But, I have discovered a most interesting thing in my study of scripture – that this was Jesus’ strategy in communication, and we know that He wasn’t out just to impress folk! Of course that doesn’t give me any excuse to go around merely impressing people – that would backfire very quickly, and people would quickly have a name for it – like sensationalism, or some other impressive word!

Jesus was out to communicate biblical truth clearly and lovingly. He was out to see change in spiritual perspective, and bring powerful challenge towards transformed living. With that in mind, and with due caution that a teacher always gets checked out first, His strategy can be studied and followed.

In Mark 4:30-41 Jesus takes on an area that he is sure His followers don’t really understand yet – and that is the subject of the “kingdom of God”.

He points out that the “kingdom of God” is like a tiny mustard seed. When it is sown in the ground, it grows up to be a large garden plant, providing large branches so that birds can build their nests in its shade.

Later, in the evening, he has a chance to prove his point! He suggests going on a boat trip. (I think that He has a good idea of what was going to happen, don’t you think?) The scripture tells us that there were several boats.

As they sail, they encounter high winds and stormy weather! The waves were spilling into the boat! Guess what, Jesus is sound asleep on a pillow in the stern of the boat. He is about to illustrate the transferable concept he had just spoken of – “the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed that grows into a tree.” It is as if he views the storm as an unruly child, “Peace, be still!” Everything grew completely still.

Mystified and fearful, they were ripe for his chiding about their lack of faith. They still hadn’t put two and two together – they were more impressed with his power, than they were what he had just taught and illustrated concerning the mustard seed and the kingdom of God. Little ideas can have amazing impact!

They had not visualized the kingdom of God and its nature. But Jesus had demonstrated it so that it could become a transferable concept when they needed it.

Now here is the irony of all this. I have found that the Lord Jesus is still doing it! If you indeed have received the Lord Jesus as both Savior and Lord, He will also enable you to see scripture in a new light that you had not considered before, if you spend time in it with Him. In fact, you may encounter a storm on your little “lake”.

Those who don't know Jesus may see it as just a storm.

Unfortunately, you may just pass it up, and say, “Humph, that’s interesting, I had never seen it that way before.” You go your merry way. (Acts 17:32; 26:25)

A short while later, some kind of event occurs that makes you feel you have been treated unfairly. Then, you cry out, “Lord, aren’t you going to help?” He does, and then chides for lack of faith.

Even as I write this, I saw Jesus calm a storm that had come just as suddenly as that windstorm on Galilee, when Jesus stilled it. I was shocked how quickly the storm listened to him!

I guess I’m impressed! How about you?