The Parables of Jesus

I've been blessed with the opportunity to listen to a very knowledgeable man these past two days: Dr. Simon Kistemaker - an erudite in the New Testament and especially in the Parables of Jesus. He was invited to come by the presbyterian seminar in Merida and an announcement of his seminar was placed at my school, inviting those who wished to attend. The idea attracted me, not really having any expectations for it besides just learning more.

The sessions are 4 hours long each. One yesterday afternoon, one this morning, on this afternoon, and then repeat tomorrow. So they are very long. So far, in just 3 sessions, i've managed to take 11 back-to-back pages of notes -- i'm quite proud of myself :)

Before yesterday, when i would read a parable i would always conclude that Jesus is talking about the difference between the believer vs. non believer. For example, in the parable of the sewer, i always assumed that as long as you were a believer that meant by default that you were the seed that fell in good ground, and that the previous 3 seeds (the one that falls on the road, the one that falls on the rock, and the one that falls between the bushes and thorns) were the non believers. But to my sad (and raveling!) surprise, as Dr. Kistmaker went through the kinds of seed, i found myself identifying with the third seed (the one that falls between the bushes and thorns). What do i mean by that?? My "plant" grows, but it's constantly battling with the roots of the bushes and the thorns -- thinking more about the way i look, about my students, about my job, about my husband -- instead of putting my full focus on Jesus. How revealing!!!

A second parable that really confronted me was the parable of the talents. A master gives 5 talents to one servant, 2 talents to another, and one talent to the last one. The first and second one invest it and get twice as much, but the 3rd one goes and buries it and guards it, making sure nothing happens to it. When the master comes returns to them, the first and second give him everything they've earned, and the master brings them to his table to celebrate. But when the third one comes, he condemns him and sends him away.

I must say that i never fully understood this parable until today. Dr. K said that the talent was parallel to the word of God. He also said that the jews are like the 3rd servant -- they guard and take good care of the word of God, but never multiply it. I FOUND MYSELF IDENTIFYING MYSELF WITH THE JEW!!! I meditate and take care of the word of God -- i dress modestly, my vocabulary is clean, i go to church each Sunday, etc -- but never go out and multiply!!! What a terrible (and wonderful at the same time) thing to realize this!!!

Lord, you have given me a talent -- don't let me continue being content with just guarding it, i want to multiply it!! Amen.