“Then all his disciples deserted him and ran away.” (Mark 14:50, NLT)
Sometimes, you don’t know what you don’t know! Every now and then a bit of news may catch you off guard. Your wife may make a comment about a bucket list item that surprises you. Your daughter tells you that she wants to be a gender studies major. A pastor reveals from the pulpit that he is having an affair. A best friend betrays you. There are moments in life when you may think you got a person or situation figured out, but then you are surprised or even shocked when things aren’t quite the way you perceived them. The assumptions you made about a person were not even close to reality. Your first impression of a new boss was all off. Your loved one had a hidden past. There is a lot you don’t know about life. Even small misunderstandings are commonplace.
“Cleveland Amory tells this story about Judge John Lowell of Boston. One morning the judge was at breakfast, his face hidden behind the morning paper. A frightened maid tiptoed into the room and whispered something to Mrs. Lowell's ear. The lady paled slightly, then squared her shoulders resolutely and said, "John, the cook has burned the oatmeal, and there is no more in the house. I am afraid that this morning, for the first time in seventeen years, you will have to go without your oatmeal."
The judge, without putting down his paper, answered, "It's all right, my dear. Frankly, I never cared much for it anyhow."” (“Bits & Pieces”, March 4, 1993, p. 23).
Just when you think you have a person figured out, you find out you don’t!
In the scripture for today, the disciples “deserted” Jesus. They “ran away” (Mark 14:50). After Judas led the armed guard to Jesus and they arrested Him, the disciples fled. The disciples were not ready for what happened. They were so shocked that they could only run away, unable to fathom what was occurring in the Garden of Gethsemane. They did not see it coming. They didn’t believe Jesus would be betrayed by Judas! They hadn’t considered what they would do if Jesus was arrested. With no plan in place, all they could do was run away in fear for their lives.
God knows a lot more than you do. God sees a lot more than you see. It’s easy to be blindsided by wrong assumptions, misread interpretations, or hidden agendas. People are not fully transparent. Life is complicated. There is much that goes on unseen. Don’t overestimate your understanding of a situation. Don’t overlook the belief that you could be wrong. The absolute truth may often surprise you.
I am amazed at people who are overconfident in their abilities, their understanding, their knowledge, their intelligence. Those very same people do not realize that their arrogance may get them into hot water. Their assumptions may lead them astray. Their false beliefs might place them in danger or lead them down a path they should not go. When you are unaware of the truth, it can set you up for a fall. Like the disciples in the scripture for today, you may have no understanding of what is transpiring. You might even find yourself running away when all your well-laid plans fall apart.
For months and months, Jesus explained to his disciples that his life was in danger. Even hours before Judas arrived in Gethsemane with the soldiers, Jesus had hinted at the betrayal during the Last Supper. A scholar once looked at all the hints Jesus gave of his impending arrest and crucifixion. There were found at least twenty times when Jesus hinted at this looming fate. Still, the disciples were caught completely off guard when Judas arrived in Gethsemane. They didn’t know what they didn’t know!
When Jenni found her husband’s shirt in the laundry basket with a telephone number in the pocket, she figured the number was from work. When he arrived home smelling of a woman’s perfume, Jenni figured it was because he worked in an office with three other women. When her husband’s charge account included several meals at restaurants that she did not know about, Jenni grew suspicious. Eight months after the affair began, Jenni realized what her husband had done.
Jenni approached her best friend with the awful news. “He is cheating on me. I just confronted him, and he owned up to it. I hate him.”
The best friend replied, “I thought you knew, Jenni. People have been talking about it for months since he was spotted at a restaurant with a woman from work.”
Jenni had no idea. She looked back at all the clues she had overlooked, all the signs she had misread. Her life was a mess, and she was paralyzed with fear for the future. Despite being highly intelligent and very attentive, Jenni missed the obvious. She was blindsided by the truth.
Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew 10:16: “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” If you want to be wise, it is important to realize that you may not know enough to see the big picture. You need to learn to recognize situations where you are vulnerable due to unknowns. It is crucial you be cognizant of dangerous scenarios. Spiritually, it is vital that you be aware of the lure of temptations and the presence of evil. Prayer can help you to examine a situation more thoroughly. The Holy Spirit may hint at your conscience about the presence of important clues to the truth. All in all, trust in God, who knows all. Learn to listen to God’s voice, for God watches your back. Lean on God’s Word to direct your steps. Don't assume you are invulnerable to the wiles of the devil!
“Cleveland Amory tells this story about Judge John Lowell of Boston. One morning the judge was at breakfast, his face hidden behind the morning paper. A frightened maid tiptoed into the room and whispered something to Mrs. Lowell's ear. The lady paled slightly, then squared her shoulders resolutely and said, "John, the cook has burned the oatmeal, and there is no more in the house. I am afraid that this morning, for the first time in seventeen years, you will have to go without your oatmeal."
The judge, without putting down his paper, answered, "It's all right, my dear. Frankly, I never cared much for it anyhow."” (“Bits & Pieces”, March 4, 1993, p. 23).
Just when you think you have a person figured out, you find out you don’t!
In the scripture for today, the disciples “deserted” Jesus. They “ran away” (Mark 14:50). After Judas led the armed guard to Jesus and they arrested Him, the disciples fled. The disciples were not ready for what happened. They were so shocked that they could only run away, unable to fathom what was occurring in the Garden of Gethsemane. They did not see it coming. They didn’t believe Jesus would be betrayed by Judas! They hadn’t considered what they would do if Jesus was arrested. With no plan in place, all they could do was run away in fear for their lives.
God knows a lot more than you do. God sees a lot more than you see. It’s easy to be blindsided by wrong assumptions, misread interpretations, or hidden agendas. People are not fully transparent. Life is complicated. There is much that goes on unseen. Don’t overestimate your understanding of a situation. Don’t overlook the belief that you could be wrong. The absolute truth may often surprise you.
I am amazed at people who are overconfident in their abilities, their understanding, their knowledge, their intelligence. Those very same people do not realize that their arrogance may get them into hot water. Their assumptions may lead them astray. Their false beliefs might place them in danger or lead them down a path they should not go. When you are unaware of the truth, it can set you up for a fall. Like the disciples in the scripture for today, you may have no understanding of what is transpiring. You might even find yourself running away when all your well-laid plans fall apart.
For months and months, Jesus explained to his disciples that his life was in danger. Even hours before Judas arrived in Gethsemane with the soldiers, Jesus had hinted at the betrayal during the Last Supper. A scholar once looked at all the hints Jesus gave of his impending arrest and crucifixion. There were found at least twenty times when Jesus hinted at this looming fate. Still, the disciples were caught completely off guard when Judas arrived in Gethsemane. They didn’t know what they didn’t know!
When Jenni found her husband’s shirt in the laundry basket with a telephone number in the pocket, she figured the number was from work. When he arrived home smelling of a woman’s perfume, Jenni figured it was because he worked in an office with three other women. When her husband’s charge account included several meals at restaurants that she did not know about, Jenni grew suspicious. Eight months after the affair began, Jenni realized what her husband had done.
Jenni approached her best friend with the awful news. “He is cheating on me. I just confronted him, and he owned up to it. I hate him.”
The best friend replied, “I thought you knew, Jenni. People have been talking about it for months since he was spotted at a restaurant with a woman from work.”
Jenni had no idea. She looked back at all the clues she had overlooked, all the signs she had misread. Her life was a mess, and she was paralyzed with fear for the future. Despite being highly intelligent and very attentive, Jenni missed the obvious. She was blindsided by the truth.
Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew 10:16: “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” If you want to be wise, it is important to realize that you may not know enough to see the big picture. You need to learn to recognize situations where you are vulnerable due to unknowns. It is crucial you be cognizant of dangerous scenarios. Spiritually, it is vital that you be aware of the lure of temptations and the presence of evil. Prayer can help you to examine a situation more thoroughly. The Holy Spirit may hint at your conscience about the presence of important clues to the truth. All in all, trust in God, who knows all. Learn to listen to God’s voice, for God watches your back. Lean on God’s Word to direct your steps. Don't assume you are invulnerable to the wiles of the devil!