Daily Journal: 15 December

Teacher and Lord

In general, we like to follow certain people. We all have people we admire. We like to watch the way they live and hear what they have to say. We allow these people influence in our lives. These people can be friends but they might also be people we don't know personally.

People are naturally inclined to look for a certain influence from others to help direct us. We need each other. But for this reason, we must be careful about the people we allow to teach us, and those we choose to follow.

Mark 10:17-19 (NIV)

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honour your father and mother.’”

Jesus took a moment’s opportunity to point something out. The man was addressing Him as a good teacher, but Jesus inferenced that He was so much more. In calling Jesus a good teacher, and having been told that only God is good, did the man recognise who He was addressing?

The man didn’t stop and pause.

He had run up to Jesus. He had knelt in front of Him. He had shown Him respect and positioned himself directly in front of Jesus to make sure he had His attention. He wanted to be assured of something he thought he already knew the answer to. But he didn’t hear Jesus’ intentional words.

If he had heard, shouldn’t his next address be, "Lord"?

Mark 10:20-21 (NIV)

“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Jesus continued to show He was more than a good teacher by demonstrating He knew the man’s heart. He knew that the man strove to live righteously, but it was for his own merit. Jesus knew the man’s greatest weakness and felt compassion toward him.

Jesus called him to recognise who, or what, was Lord in his life. The man thought he had his life neatly sewn up. However, Jesus called him to recognise one thing. Something else held his heart and he wasn’t prepared to let go of it.

He was prepared to follow the commandments according to his own justification, but He wasn't prepared to follow Jesus Himself.

Exodus 20:3 (NLV)

“Have no gods other than Me.

Do you know Jesus as a good teacher, or are you able to call Him Teacher and Lord?

Lord, we are your children, needing to be influenced by your righteousness, not our own. We need to show you our heart and let you show us what is in it. Please help us to see, to release what needs to be released, and to follow you.