New Year’s resolutions are upon us. Goal setting can be a good thing, and perhaps one goal you need to have in 2016 is to be less busy. Here’s one thought that may help fuel your motivation.
Jesus was a busy man. He was in high demand. Crowds flocked to Him. Everybody wanted a piece of Him. He knew what it was like to be busy. How did He handle it?
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: ‘Everyone is looking for you!’
Jesus replied, ‘Let us go somewhere else…'”
(Mark 1:35-38)
Jesus, God in the flesh, the 2nd person of the Trinity didn’t do it all. By not healing everyone, by not ministering to everyone, did Jesus disappoint anybody? Imagine living in the 1st century. You’re blind. You hear this guy, Jesus, is healing people left and right. You travel a full day on foot to go see him. You’re in a long line with others who have physical and emotional problems waiting to have Jesus heal you. Just as you’re about to get to Jesus, he decides to leave and go to another town to preach or to get away with his disciples, or get away by himself to pray. How disappointing is that for you? Here’s the kicker, Jesus disappointed people and he never sinned by doing so.
Please note: Jesus didn’t say ‘no’ to healing more people so he could go watch the game at Buffalo Wild Wings. He said ‘no’ to one good thing in order to spend time doing another good thing. He said ‘no’ to healing more people so he could spend time in prayer. Jesus shows us it’s possible to disappoint people and still be holy in doing so. Did you hear that? It’s possible to disappoint people and still be holy in doing so. Just because you’ve disappointed someone by saying ‘no’ or not meeting their expectations, doesn’t mean you’ve sinned. Jesus disappointed people. Maybe you need to as well.
