HOW CAN WE UNDERSTAND?
Life is a slow unveiling. A gradual
awakening into the wonders of our world. As a child gradually grows into the
understanding of his environment. Tentative forays leaving imprints of
experience on his being. These imprints mould him as he bases his
perception of life and those around him from what is within him. He grows.
In the beginning was the word. The word was
with God and the word was God. All things were created through him, and apart
from him not one thing was created that has been created. Life was in Him, and
that life was the light of men. (Taken from John 1)
How do our eyes perceive what God is doing
within us? “The words I have spoken to you, they are spirit and life (John 6:63)”,
said Jesus. “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free (John
8:32)”, He said. How do we listen and having listened hear? How do we
understand?
Jesus spoke in parables. Stories,
allegories, illustrations. He ended quite a few of them with the injuction that
“those who have ears should hear”. We often appreciate their meaning and
content, but do we hear? He also explained
why he used this method of instruction. “Therefore
speak I to them in parables,” He said,
“because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they
understand.” Was the purpose of the parable to hide the meaning? How can it be unveiled?
What is the secret to this understanding?
Jesus said it lies in our heart. He cried out against that
generation, quoting Isaiah, saying their heart has grown callous. The hearts of
the people of Israel had also grown, but it had grown calloused. The inevitable
consequence is a darkening of their understanding, and a blinding of their
mind. (Matthew 13: 13-15)
The first step to learning is a desire to learn. A wanting to
know. No amount of tutelage can ever instill that hunger into a soul. Do we
want to know our God? “If we hunger and thirst”, He said, “we will be filled”.
If we don’t have that hunger or thirst, we will become like those in the market
place whose only emission is a complaint against what is, for what others are not. They are like unto
children that sit in the marketplace, and call one to another; who say, We
piped unto you, and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not weep. (Luke
7:32)
“Love God”, Jesus said. “And love your neighbor.” Love for our
neighbor is warped without our being able to love God first. Filial or
fraternal or storge love can only grow in a godly way if the foundation is built on agape. Else it
will be always be a distortion. Our distortion, interpretation or perception.
How do I understand His love? Do I want to know? How deep is that
desire in me?
How do I understand my neighbor? My family? Do I want to know?
Matthew 18:23 – 35
What does it do for me? What is my take home message? How do I grow
from reading it?
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