Unmet Expectations

I am constantly amazed as I read through scripture at how often the people closest to Jesus totally missed on his point. They often thought he was talking about one thing when he was really talking about another. They took metaphors and made them literal. They missed the signs and the illustrations that Jesus was using to teach.

I then become totally frustrated at how often I do the exact same thing. We have 2,000 years of history to tell us what Jesus meant and millions of pages of commentary to help us understand and yet we often whiff on the point of what Jesus is trying to show us. Today, let me give you one simple idea to help you get the point.

When we are struggling with a teaching of Jesus and what it really means, look deeper. Look not at what you think it means for just the issue in front of you, but what is the deeper meaning, the one that has eternal value.

When Jesus tells us to honor our mother and father, he means for us to literally do that. It also means for us to demonstrate God's love in our own homes first. When Jesus tells us to love our neighbor, it literally means that, but it also means we should see them through the eyes of God. When Jesus tells us to be a light to the world around us it means to set an example to those not yet following God. It also means to be seen with his love and grace, not with judgment and anger.

We get frustrated with God because he does not meet our expectations. However we need to understand that maybe our expectations are not of the eternal realm. Maybe our focus is not in line with his. In order to avoid unmet expectations with God we must see through the lens of eternity and not through the lens of the temporary. God deeper. Love more. Shine brighter. That is God's expectation for us.