Isaiah 50:5-9 / James 2:14-18 / Mark 8:27-35
When it comes to thinking of a present to give to someone, it is certainly much more difficult than to choose which political party to vote for at the elections.
But it actually boils down to two choices. We can give the person what that person wants, and that would easy because we can just ask that person what he/she would like for a present.
Or we can decide to give that person what we want to give, regardless of whether the person likes it or not. Of course if that person is someone we care about, then we would give something that is personal; otherwise the present might just get recycled.
There is this joke about a woman who woke up on the morning of her birthday and her husband, “I just had a dream that you gave me the most beautiful diamond necklace. What do you think it means?”
“You’ll know tonight.” he said. The woman could hardly think of anything else all day and she couldn’t wait for her husband to return home.
That evening, the man finally came home with a small package and gave it to his wife. Delighted, she opened it excitedly, only to find that it was a book entitled… “The Meaning of Dreams”.
So if we find that book somewhere, then it might just have been recycled, and maybe a few times.
When it comes to giving presents, we can give what that person wants, or we can give what we want.
Similarly when it comes to giving our views and opinions, we can say what that person wants to hear, or we can say what we personally think it is.
In the gospel Jesus asked His disciples who they think He was. But He began by asking them what people were saying about Him.
That was easy for them. So they said what others said about Jesus – that He was John the Baptist, or Elijah or one of the prophets.
But that was just like a teaser. Because the next question that Jesus asked His disciples was what they themselves thought about Him. Who did they thought He was?
That was certainly up close and personal and not that comfortable. Now they can’t quote what other people were saying. They have to say what they personally think.
As His disciples and having followed Him around for some time already, they could be wondering about the consequences of their opinion.
And they could be wondering if they should tell Jesus something He wants to hear, or to be frank with Him and tell Him what was really on their minds.
And then Peter comes along with this divinely inspired proclamation “You are the Christ” and that saved the rest from that tight awkward situation.
But when Jesus began to teach them He was destined to suffer grievously and to be put to death, Peter decided to come up with his own opinion and began to remonstrate with Jesus.
With that, Jesus had to rebuke Peter with these rather sharp words: Get behind me Satan! Because the way you think is not God’s way but man’s.
Certainly for Peter, it was one moment of inspiration followed by another moment of humiliation. Of all things, he was called “Satan”; what else can be worse.
But the learning point that we can get from Peter’s lesson is the way we think – do we think in God’s way or do we think in our own way?
And just as Jesus asked His disciples who they think He was, in what way do we see others and what do we think of them?
Butterflies are beautiful creatures. The pattern and colour on their wings are truly amazing.
Yet it is said that butterflies can’t see their own wings. They can’t see how beautiful they are, although everyone else can.
In a way we are also like butterflies; we may not be able to see the beauty in us.
But that should not prevent us from seeing the beauty in others.
When Jesus asked His disciples “Who do you say I am?” He was also asking them if they were seeing Him in God’s way or is it in their own way.
God’s way of looking at people is always that of seeing the beauty in others.
God created each of us with His image, and it is an image of love and beauty.
When we see others with the love of God, then we are able to see the beauty in others.
That is the best present and the best gift that we can give to others.
And when we see the beauty in others, then we too will begin to see the beauty in ourselves.
Butterflies are beautiful but we are more than that. We are created in God’s image.
To see God’s image in others is truly the best gift we can give to them.
And it is also the best gift we can give to ourselves.