The Jews gathered around him. They said, “How long will you keep us waiting? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
John 10:24
Have you ever heard the phrase, "You can't see the forest for the trees."?
Basically it means, that you are so caught up in the details, you are missing the big picture. This is an EASY thing to do. We become obsessed in getting the tiny things right - checking off our to-do list and we forget what the end goal is.
I need to study for my test and I need to pick up my room and I need to wash the dishes and I need to get more pencils and I need to....
What is the ultimate goal in all of those to-do's? Go to college? Have a clean house? Write the next Great American Novel? Have clean dishes for dinner?
When we focus on all of the pieces of the puzzle we have a hard time remember what the picture looks like- this is what was happening to the Jews in Jesus's time.
Imagine, Jesus is performing miracles like the Men's USA basketball team scoring points - Often and with great impact. And yet the Jews were unconvinced that Jesus was the Christ - the long awaited Messiah.
And rather than step back and see the big picture, they were focused in on the details - trying to find a flaw in his ministry - trying to find a reason to discount Jesus and the salvation he was offering them through grace.
Jesus answered, “I did tell you. But you do not believe. The kinds of things I do in my Father’s name speak for me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not my sheep. (John 10:25-26)
They refused to see who Jesus was. They couldn't see the forest for the trees.
They instantly made a judgement that Jesus had to be a false teacher and a blasphemer because they had not experienced anything like him. And instead of stepping back and seeing that the reason they hadn't experienced anyone like Jesus was because he was one of a kind - the One of a kind - they chose be blind to him. They chose to pick apart the beautiful tapestry of his ministry and only see the colored threads. They chose the comfort of following their lists rather than stepping back and experiencing the fullness of God's love.
To-Do lists are a good thing - - they help to keep us organized and focused. But when we get so caught up in what we are to-do, we miss out on whose we are and what His end purpose is for our lives.
Step back - smell the roses - see the forest - enjoy the beauty - and revel in the majesty of the everyday miracles around you. The To-Do List can wait until tomorrow.
Basically it means, that you are so caught up in the details, you are missing the big picture. This is an EASY thing to do. We become obsessed in getting the tiny things right - checking off our to-do list and we forget what the end goal is.
I need to study for my test and I need to pick up my room and I need to wash the dishes and I need to get more pencils and I need to....
What is the ultimate goal in all of those to-do's? Go to college? Have a clean house? Write the next Great American Novel? Have clean dishes for dinner?
When we focus on all of the pieces of the puzzle we have a hard time remember what the picture looks like- this is what was happening to the Jews in Jesus's time.
Imagine, Jesus is performing miracles like the Men's USA basketball team scoring points - Often and with great impact. And yet the Jews were unconvinced that Jesus was the Christ - the long awaited Messiah.
And rather than step back and see the big picture, they were focused in on the details - trying to find a flaw in his ministry - trying to find a reason to discount Jesus and the salvation he was offering them through grace.
Jesus answered, “I did tell you. But you do not believe. The kinds of things I do in my Father’s name speak for me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not my sheep. (John 10:25-26)
They refused to see who Jesus was. They couldn't see the forest for the trees.
They instantly made a judgement that Jesus had to be a false teacher and a blasphemer because they had not experienced anything like him. And instead of stepping back and seeing that the reason they hadn't experienced anyone like Jesus was because he was one of a kind - the One of a kind - they chose be blind to him. They chose to pick apart the beautiful tapestry of his ministry and only see the colored threads. They chose the comfort of following their lists rather than stepping back and experiencing the fullness of God's love.
To-Do lists are a good thing - - they help to keep us organized and focused. But when we get so caught up in what we are to-do, we miss out on whose we are and what His end purpose is for our lives.
Step back - smell the roses - see the forest - enjoy the beauty - and revel in the majesty of the everyday miracles around you. The To-Do List can wait until tomorrow.
Scripture
