Years ago there was a home-run hitting farm boy who could “hit a baseball a country mile,” as they say. So one of the major league teams invited him to spring training. Each week the young slugger wired his mother. The first week’s wire said, “Dear Mom, Leading all batters. These pitchers are not so tough.” A week later he boasted, “Looks like I will be a starting infielder. Now hitting .500.” But early in the third week, the young man’s mother got this wire: “Dear Mom, they started throwing curves. Will be home Friday!”
As most of us know, to walk committedly through life isn’t a one-or-two-week hot streak. Rather, walking with commitment involves the LONG-HAUL!
Following the feeding of the five thousand, the people were so taken with the Miracle Worker that they wanted to make him their king. Instead of accepting their offer, Jesus instead retreated to a mountain. But the next day the people found him, wanting more miracles, wanting more physical food, and still wanting him to be their king. Jesus, however, used the opportunity to give a discourse on the Bread of Life. But what offended Jesus’ followers even more were his words, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53). Many in the crowd that day referred to Jesus’ words as “hard teaching” (John 6:60). They were beginning to understand that Jesus wouldn’t be a political leader. And the more they understood him, the more they turned from him. Hence, “from that time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66).
As long as the people were seeing miracles, they were fascinated by him! As long as Jesus was filling their bellies, they wanted to be associated with him! But when He began talking to them about faith, about obedience, about long-term commitment, it was then a different story!
It’s easy for us to be critical of those who “turned back and no longer followed him,” but the question becomes, Are WE willing to walk with Jesus for the LONG-HAUL?
November/December 1997