27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
Those who read these daily lessons often will know what a an impact my friend Ted had on my life and what loss for me was his passing earlier this year. He came into my life at just the right time. As the old Asian proverb has it, "When the student is ready the teacher will come." Ted came with his wisdom just when I was ready to receive it.
Today's lesson reminds me of a literally life-changing moment I had with Ted. We were sharing together in a group and I was talking about a struggle I was having with trying to keep peace at church while at the same time trying to be faithful to Christ's teachings about things like poverty, wealth, and the sword. Another person in the group asked how I would know whether or not I was selling out. I said I felt confident I wasn't going to sell out and compromise the principles of Jesus for the sake of keeping things pacific at church. Ted looked at me with a soul-piercing gaze and prophetic word, "Ryon, you will sell out. You will compromise. You are not going to live up to the high calling of the Gospel." Then he closed with the words -- a question -- which changed my life:
"So what?"
Those with ears to hear let them hear.
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