In the 11th chapter of Luke, Jesus visits sisters Mary and Martha days after their brother (and Jesus' friend), Lazarus, has died. The family is especially upset because they know Jesus can heal the ill and infirm, and yet he arrived too late to save Lazarus, who had been sick for days. Jesus goes to the tomb and raises Lazarus from the dead.
However, when Jesus requests that Lazarus' tomb be opened, Martha discourages him from doing so: "Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days" (KJV).
There's something almost comical about her objection, and not just because the words sound silly in modern English. Just moments before, Martha had reaffirmed her belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who has power over human sickness and death. Jesus even states outright that her brother will "rise again." But at the moment of truth, she hesitates...because she is worried about the smell.
It's probably unfair to make light of the grieving woman's words. She is, understandably, distraught after her brother's death. And even though she knows Jesus personally, she doesn't have the hindsight of history to fully grasp what he's capable of. She had not seen Jesus perform a miracle so dramatic as raising the dead, and the text suggests she misunderstood Jesus' comments about Lazarus rising again to mean spiritually, in the next life, not physically, on earth.
Still, in a scene where a family's grief moves even Jesus to tears, Martha's comments take such an abrupt turn that the exchange borders on a comedy routine...
Martha: Even though you didn’t get here in time to
save my dear brother, I still believe God will do whatever you ask of Him.
Jesus:
That’s right. I will resurrect Lazarus. I am the source of life. Do you believe me?
Martha: I do. You are the Christ, the Son of God!
Jesus: Yes!
Now let’s open up that tomb!
Martha: Oh, you don’t want to do that. [Martha
pinches her nose with one hand, fans the air with the other] I mean, P.U.!
Jesus: …?!?
----------
That depiction, of
course, is a gross mischaracterization of the passage that only a complete fool
would write. The point that fool is
trying to make is just how ridiculous it is that we can spend our lives trying to know Jesus and yet miss what he is saying and the blessings he offers. It happens throughout the Bible, and it continues today. I know, because I do it myself. I cannot judge Martha; her words may as well be mine.
I chose this phrase as the title of the blog for two reasons. The obvious one is that it's an apt description of my caliber as a writer. More importantly though, it's a phrase that reminds me just how foolish I am and how short-sighted I can be. To be sure, we should not resign ourselves to our shortcomings or fool ourselves into thinking they cannot hurt God. But I can only imagine that when we, like children, frustrate our heavenly father, that sometimes He can only shake His head and laugh. Why, then, can't we laugh at ourselves?
I chose this phrase as the title of the blog for two reasons. The obvious one is that it's an apt description of my caliber as a writer. More importantly though, it's a phrase that reminds me just how foolish I am and how short-sighted I can be. To be sure, we should not resign ourselves to our shortcomings or fool ourselves into thinking they cannot hurt God. But I can only imagine that when we, like children, frustrate our heavenly father, that sometimes He can only shake His head and laugh. Why, then, can't we laugh at ourselves?
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