Recalculating

John 12:44-50
Jesus cried out and said,
"Whoever believes in me believes not only in me
but also in the one who sent me,
and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.
I came into the world as light,
so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.
And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them,
I do not condemn him,
for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.
Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words
has something to judge him: the word that I spoke,
it will condemn him on the last day,
because I did not speak on my own,
but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.
And I know that his commandment is eternal life.
So what I say, I say as the Father told me."

My 9 year old daughter isn't the best at being home on time. She sort of forgets to keep track of the time and zone out on what she's doing with her friends when she is over at their house. So I have to send my 13 year old son over there and tell her that it's time to come home for supper. She has two options at this point. To listen and comply or listen and not comply. If she listens and comes home for supper, is she listening to her brother or to me through the authority I gave her brother to speak in my name? If she doesn't listen to her brother, is she not listening to her brother or not listening to my authority through her brother? Ultimately, who's going to punish her? Her brother or dear ol Dad?

God did not send His Son Jesus into the world to condemn it anymore than I would send my son to the neighbors to punish my daughter because she wasn't home on time. No, God sent His Son into the world to save it. (cf John 3:17) To teach a message about God's love. "For God so loved the world that he gave* his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life." John 3:16

John 14:1-6

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father's house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way."
Thomas said to him,
"Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?"
Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me."

Before there were smartphones and GPS systems there were these very large pieces of paper called roadmaps. We use to carry them in our cars and stuff them into the glove compartments (does anyone actually put gloves in there). I don't think texting and driving is as near as dangerous as trying to read a roadmap driving down the interstate highway at 75 mph.
Reading a roadmap required a certain amount of skill and intelligence. For the less than refined map reader, you would take the red road to the blue road and turn off by the little tree. To the more savvy map reader, you knew that there were little red numbers in between each point on that highway on the map. And those little numbers told you how many miles between points. You knew that if you were in Town A, and that little number said 21 between Town A and Town B, that Town B was 21 miles away. You also knew that driving at 70 mph, it would take 18 minutes to drive that distance. Unless you're my wife. Then it would take her 16 minutes.

With GPS and wives, we no longer have to use a map. We can listen to them tell us when we miss our turn. One will say "recalculating".
The other will say "where are you going?" I won't tell you who says what. If you are married, you already know, if you are not, you'll find out someday. Jesus is "the way the truth and the life". He is both our destination, and our guide. He tells us where we need to go, how to get there. Just like those He left in charge to speak and teach in His name. Just like those who they left in charge to speak and teach in Jesus's name. This has been going on and passed down since Jesus founded His Church 2000 years ago. Our job is to make sure we are reading the right map, and using the right GPS. To listen to those Jesus left in charge and who speak in His name.

Thought for the day: Am I on the right road? Am I reading the right map? Am I listening to the right voice? Or am I ignoring them all because I think I know how to get there better than what's been given to me?