A Spark of Wisdom

Reading today in Mark 12, these verses just jumped out at me.

28And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?" 29Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." 32And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." 34And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Do you see how this fellow came up to Jesus and just asked simple question, Jesus answered him, and light dawned on the questioner. Jesus' simple observation, "you are not far from the kingdom of God."

Faith in God is demonstrated in much more than works. It is faith in God. It is more than burnt offerings. It is more than sacrifices. Jesus' questioner realized that. He understood that loving God is more important. That understanding God was more important. That loving your neighbour as you love yourself, was more important. This understanding brings him close to the kingdom of heaven.

It's like, oh... I don't know if you've ever had a conversation with a non-believer, and seen them with this glint of understanding in their eyes when they just realize an important truth about God and salvation. It's like a little light goes on. And you just have to feed that light by saying, yes, now you are getting it. That's what Jesus did here. He said, yes, you are getting it.

Faith in God is some much more than what we do. It's what we are. We are a people who love God, who want to understand him more, and who want to treat those around us the way that we are treated. This is what faith is.

Now to go out and increase that faith... read his word, study it, practice it. Don't just give God "stuff" that really doesn't matter. Love him, read and study his word, go out and do it. That is how you show your faith. That is what matters.

Offer encouragement to people along the way. Be like Jesus. :)