Hindsight is 20/20

Ever wished you could have lived during Bible times and seen or heard Jesus in person? Although it might have been cool, we would have definitely missed out on a lot.

When we read the stories of Jesus' life, we are treated to the behind the scenes stuff he said and did with his closest friends.

If we were in the crowds during Jesus' day, we would have gotten just a glimpse of him. Reading the Bible 2000 years later we get a fuller (but still icomplete) picture.

For example, Jesus told the crowds simple stories that (on the surface) dealt with everyday situations- planting seeds, losing money, lighting candles, etc. Then after he told the stories, he offered NO explanation. It wasn't until later, when he was alone with his disciples, that he would decode the story and tell them it's meaning.

The disciples got the answer key. The crowds just got a test.

Test? You bet. Jesus taught in story form to test the desire of those who heard him.

For those who didn't really want to know, the stories meant little to nothing. I can almost hear many in the crowd disappointed that they walked so far or listened so long to stories about stuff they did everyday. Where were the nuggets of wisdom and insight they expected?

Jesus witheld them because their hearts weren't open to what he had to say.

"This is why I speak to them this way. They see, but they’re blind. They hear, but they don’t listen. They don’t even try to understand. So they make Isaiah’s prophecy come true:
‘You will hear clearly but never understand. You will see clearly but never comprehend. These people have become close-minded and hard of hearing. They have shut their eyes so that their eyes never see. Their ears never hear. Their minds never understand. And they never return to me for healing!’" (Matthew 13:13-15)

Others heard more than stories when Jesus taught. They heard a challenge. As Jesus said, "Let He who has ears, hear." they heard "How badly do you want to understand? Enough to think about it? Enough to turn my words over and over in your head until they make sense?"

Later, Jesus told his friends that the key to knowing God is desire. After telling a story about lighting a lamp, Jesus says:

"Let the person who has ears listen!”He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you’re listening to! Knowledge will be measured out to you by the measure of attention you give. This is the way knowledge increases." Mark 4:23-24

A couple of millenia later, we get the benefit of hindsight and of reading the whole book. But, Jesus still tests us- wondering how much we really want to know him.

If we don't, we won't. But if we do, the lights will come on for us.

When it comes to knowing Jesus, how would you describe your level of desire today?
How are you "paying attention" to him?
Is your heart open to his words?
Are the lights coming on?
Flickering?
Something else?