Big Head or a Big Heart?

Jesus,

I love you. You have done so much for me and continue to do so much for me, thank you. I sit at your feet and continue to worship you and learn from you. I know that I don't always get it right, but I am trying. Please help me to be humble like Job. Help me to become the servant you desire. Help me to love the way you do. I forgive all that have ever wronged me. Please forgive me of my sins and grant me the grace to become the saint that you call me to be. In Jesus Christ's name I pray, amen.

Reading 1 Job 9:1-12, 14-16

Job answered his friends and said: I know well that it is so; but how can a man be justified before God? Should one wish to contend with him, he could not answer him once in a thousand times. God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has withstood him and remained unscathed? He removes the mountains before they know it; he overturns them in his anger. He shakes the earth out of its place, and the pillars beneath it tremble. He commands the sun, and it rises not; he seals up the stars. He alone stretches out the heavens and treads upon the crests of the sea. He made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south; He does great things past finding out, marvelous things beyond reckoning. Should he come near me, I see him not; should he pass by, I am not aware of him; Should he seize me forcibly, who can say him nay? Who can say to him, "What are you doing?" How much less shall I give him any answer, or choose out arguments against him! Even though I were right, I could not answer him, but should rather beg for what was due me. If I appealed to him and he answered my call, I could not believe that he would hearken to my words.

I wish that I were always Humble like Job. Here is a guy that was on top of his game and had it all and then it was all taken away. Many would wail and say that it was unfair and demand justice, but not Job. I too often get a big head, and the problem is when I get that big head my heart shrinks and hardens. My neck becomes stiff to the neck of others. I need to take a page from Job and turn to God in all times, especially in my times of pain. For when I open my heart to God I can hear him and make good decisions, righteous ones. More importantly I need to keep my heart open to God in good times. For the more often I try and hear God the easier it is for me to understand not only how He talks, but what He is saying.

Gospel Luke 9:57-62

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus answered him, "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head." And to another he said, "Follow me." But he replied, "Lord, let me go first and bury my father." But he answered him, "Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God." And another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home." Jesus answered him, "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God."

Ya know I read this and something jumps out at me. The first disciple says that he will follow Jesus where he goes and Jesus tells him "...that the Son of Man has no where to rest his head." I am no biblical scholar but to me this is a warning that following the Jesus means relying largely on the kindness of others, and I can see how this is true. Sharing the Gospel you never know how people are going to take it, let alone react. Churches don't charge at the door. There is no cover charge to get in and hear the word. Pastors around the world rely on the kindness and surplus of their congregations to provide for the church's doors to stay open. I will remember this well on Sunday. In contrast the following disciples give excuses why they cannot follow right away or at all. True, not everyone is called to leave all behind and go out on mission, but far too many are called and are lured away or distracted to not get involved due to some fear. I have come to realize that we largely hold ourselves back. We do not reach our potential in many areas, especially in our spiritual lives because we tell ourselves we can't. This is partly true. Many times we can't, but here is the thing, God can! God can give us the the grace and show us the way to overcome or come through anything just like Job. We only need to open our hearts to God and then keep our eyes, ears and mind open to him. God has a mission for each of us that is filled with joy, hope and love. He can help us overcome unseemly possible odds. He can do much with anyone but first we must have a humble, loving and a most of all a servants heart.

And that's all I got to say about that.