Undermining People

Those who sought out Jesus on that Tuesday before the cross may have been religious, but they were not really listening for an invitation to become one of His disciples.  They were sure no one could match them in their understanding of theology and the ways of God.  The fact that others saw Jesus as more in touch with God than them was a thorn in their collective ecclesiastical flesh.  When they came at Jesus that day with all their challenging questions, they were not only seeking something they could use to label Him a heretic, but they were also seeking to undermine Him in the eyes of those who followed Him.

 

We sometimes want to soften the words of Jesus.  We want to present them in a way which lessens the possibility that someone who is listening will be offended.  How many times have we heard ourselves saying, "Well, that is not what Jesus was saying.." as if we were experts in reading  the Words of Jesus as well as His mind.  In such moments we are like those Tuesday challengers of Jesus.  We join the ranks of those who seek to undermind and declare Him not One to be trusted.

It is not a position we set out to take, but whenever we cast doubt on the Words of Jesus in order to appease someone else, we become one of the undermining people.  As a disciple of Jesus, we are to live with unconditional obedience to Him.  As a disciple we live with an uncompromising and unchangeable belief that Jesus really speaks truth about God and humanity.  Understanding everything He says and knowing why He said it is not necessary.  All that is required is trust.  Nothing more and nothing less.