Fear of the Concrete Command
Luke 18:22
“If Jesus challenged us with the command: ‘Get out of it,’ we [are likely to] take him to mean: ‘Stay where you are, but cultivate that inward detachment.’”
—THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP
We love to spiritualize things, and we are good at reducing the specific to vague generalizations. We are equally good at making the disturbing words of Scripture seem reasonable and making the concrete command a nebulous attitude. Thus the command to forsake something becomes easily the vague attitude of inner detachment to the things we are meant to leave behind. In taking this approach we will never offend anyone, but we will never change anyone either—least of all ourselves.
Meditation If we are happy to embrace the blessings and promises of Jesus, we can do no less than also to embrace His words of correction and direction.
What is your prayer thought for today’s lesson?