Jesus had a talent for talking about some everyday things and life lessons that we can still appreciate all these years later, even if you’re a non-believer.
Mint, dill, and the bigger stuff
Matthew 23 can get a little confusing sometimes. In it, Jesus speaks about mint, dill, and cumin, because some religious leaders were careful about tithing these herbs. But He takes it one step further. Jesus says the leaders were missing justice, faithfulness, and mercy.
The message? Small rules aren’t exactly useless, but you can’t act like following small rules makes you a good person. It’s not a replacement for treating people decently. Non-believers can probably understand that message.
When Peter asked for a number
Wanting to know how much you’re supposed to forgive someone? It’s a very human question. Peter actually asked Jesus about it, and Jesus told him that he should forgive seventy-seven times. He wasn’t being exact, though.
No, Jesus was telling Peter that he shouldn’t try to keep score when forgiving people, and Jesus repeated the idea when He was on the cross. He asked God to forgive his murderers. The point here is that forgiveness doesn’t have to be for the other person, and it can actually free you.
Speaking to the unwanted
In John 4, the Samaritan woman at the well wasn’t exactly the person most religious leaders would’ve spoken to. She was in the ‘wrong’ group, and she had a complicated personal life, for starters. That didn’t stop Jesus.
He also spoke to another hated group, the tax collectors, at Levi’s house. The message is clear, and it’s that people are people, even the ones who society ignores or hates. You should treat them as equals. The world would be a better place if everyone understood that message, really.
Down from the top table
There’s a moment where James and John want to get the good seats next to Jesus. It makes sense. We all like being near power. However, Jesus flips things by saying people with power should show their greatness by serving those around them.
That idea comes up again in the Gospel of John, where we see the famous scene of Jesus washing his followers’ feet. He was someone who believed the most powerful people should be serving other people, instead of ordering them around. Maybe some leaders should take note.
Before the first punch
Anger’s a pretty normal emotion, and Jesus understood that. He didn’t think it was good, though. During the Sermon on the Mount, He went on to say that any kind of anger, like insults or calling someone names, hurts you, not just the person you’re angry with.
His solution? Go and make peace to fix any broken relationships before they escalate into something more serious. You’re supposed to handle the issues while they’re small enough to still deal with.
More than mistakes
One of Luke’s stories involves a son who demands his inheritance and leaves home. He then blows it all. Later, he returns home, but instead of his father criticizing him, his father simply gives him a robe and welcomes him home.
Jesus’s message here was that we shouldn’t reduce people to their mistakes or worst moments. He’s not saying we’re supposed to forget the past. However, we shouldn’t let it become the whole person.
Taking a break
Rest. It’s one of the hardest things to do in this modern world, especially since it feels wrong to pause for even a few minutes. Jesus had something to say about that. He told the apostles to rest when they were completely worn out.
He also spoke about how the Sabbath was made for the people instead of the other way around. Turns out, He was a strong supporter of the idea that rest is necessary, not lazy.
A story instead of a fight
Who actually counts as your neighbor? It’s a good question, and Jesus was ready to answer it in Luke 10 in one of the most well-known Bible stories. It’s the story of the Good Samaritan.
You know, the story of the person who stops to help the Jewish person is the one that Jewish people hated at the time. Kindness is better than a clever answer and everyone around you is worthy of help.
Small people in the room
In Mark 10, people try to bring children to Jesus, but the disciples try to clear them out. They act like the children aren’t people, like they’re annoying animals that’ll only get in the way. Jesus disagreed with that.Â
He tells the children to come to him and then blesses them while taking them in His arms. It’s all down to his belief that children are actually people and should be treated as such. What a revolutionary idea.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
