Scripture
3The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” 5But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. 7Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, 8he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. John 2:3-7
Observation
Mother knows best. Mary knew her son Jesus wouldn’t be able to stand by and not be moved with compassion to bring joy to the married couple who would have suffered cultural shame at the lack of wine. The instruction Mary gives to the servants in this moment is the same instruction God gives to His servants today, “Do whatever he tells you.” We aren’t told what the lag time is between Mary’s instructions and the actions of Jesus, but we do know that the servants had one job, pay attention to Jesus. They had no idea they were about to have a front row seat on the first miracle of Jesus in His earthly ministry. They had to risk being laughed out of town as they brought water to the master of ceremonies. We aren’t told at what point that tap water turned into fine wine. Was it in the filling, the scooping or that final step when the servant handed the cup to the MC? We don’t know and ultimately it doesn’t matter because they willing to do “whatever” Jesus asked. Are we?
Application
We live in a “whatever world”. “Whatever” is often became an an annoyingly popular phrase growing up in the 80's. It was often what a parent would hear when their valley-girl teen was hearing a correction about their actions they’d rather ignore. “Whatever” is the even more destructive mantra from our instant gratification culture that defines true freedom as one where there are no rules or boundaries and no consequences to our selfish actions. Psychologists call this focus on self “inattentional blindness”. “This kind of focus simply consumes your peripheral vision. You have none, so you see nothing.” (Psychology Today). Whatever you're doing or going through doesn't matter because whatever I'm into is of much more importance and therefore requires my complete focus. It’s in this context of passive aggressive responses and aggressive self-centered actions that we are called to serve the will of our Master Jesus. How? We give Him our undivided attention in a completely divided world. We lean into hearing His voice and we simply do what He says. Therein lies the rub right? How can we hear His voice above all the noise, even the noise of our own selfish desires and insecurities? Pete Greig, in his book, “How To Hear God” writes, “Jesus is what God sounds like. He’s literally the “living Word of god.” Hearing his voice is not so much a skill we must mater, therefore, as a master we must see.” A simple way to start is to look for ways to serve those around us and we will soon find our “whatever” moments. Case in point, while reading this, I saw a woman at the Starbucks counter trying to carry 8 Starbucks drinks to her car on her own. I went over and offered to help. She told me she didn’t need any help. Then, an elderly woman standing next to her said, “You’re crazy!” Finally, the woman said, “ok, I will take you up on your offer.” So I grabbed a tray of drinks and opened the door to the outside. Suddenly, a car came speeding around the corner of the parking lot and I said, “watch out”, just as she was about to step towards the car. She thanked me as I handed her the drinks and said “you’re welcome”. It didn’t require much, maybe five minutes of my time. This was no water into wine situation, but as I walked away I couldn’t help but wonder how many “whatever” moments I’ve been missing as I’m so often focused on whatever I’m doing instead of what Jesus is saying.
Prayer
Lord, I want to hear Your voice above the noise. It starts when I stop serving myself and start looking for ways to serve. “… The greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:26-27) I want to get closer to You Lord. I want to show You. When I find myself among the servants I’ll find You right there! Let me have a “whatever You tell me to do” attitude in this “whatever world”.
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