Day 6: Mark

Why is it that no matter how much I read of the gospels, Jesus always surprises me?  I feel like I know him and yet there is so much I don't understand about his thoughts and his ways.  He leads a revolutionary lifestyle, and then right at the end commits the most anti-revolutionary act of all: he submits himself to the judgement of this world, the very system he came to free us from.  His own disciples draw swords and are ready to die in rebellion, but he tells them to put their swords away.  What!?  If I'm Peter, I am so utterly confused at this point.  Of all his revolutionary deeds, not rebelling is the ultimate.

So what does this mean for us?  How do we mix the two oft-competing priorities of living our lives for the heavenly kingdom and yet doing that as part of this earthly one?  At what points do we take part in this system and at what points do we live so counter-culturally that we earn the disgust of this world?  Navigating this terrain must be Spirit led exercise; like Paul's life (sorry for skipping ahead).

So, on that note Lord, I pray you would give us the wisdom to discern which avenue is the right one to take in any given situation.  When is it right to boldly clear a temple and when is it right to speak gently?  May we be like you in all our ways: pursuing truth and justice, but always with grace and mercy, for the sake of love.