One of my favorite bumper stickers reads, “My Boss is a Jewish Carpenter.†It is a bit witty as it refers to Jesus as the Jewish Carpenter whose adoptive father, Joseph, had taught him the craft. But the important part of the sticker refers to the words, “My Boss.†It refers to how we look at our relationship with Jesus.
“Boss†usually refers to a person with power or position over others. However, it is given a negative connotation when it refers to someone who lords over those under him. On the positive side however, it can refer to a respectable person whom one defers to, works for, or gathers inspiration from.
I picture Jesus to be the latter type of what a boss ought to be. He teaches his followers not about the ways of the world. But rather, he guides them to make life-giving decisions as they journey in life.
Those who follow Jesus wish to learn from him – not only through His words but his actions as well. As learners, they are corrected by Jesus, and that is why the learning process may not be a smooth ride at times. In the Gospel today, for instance, Jesus rebukes James and John as they fail to understand the meaning of his teachings – that the ways of revenge and of getting back at others are not His ways but the ways of the world. He corrects them like a good “boss.â€
But He does not stop there. Jesus teaches three other followers about the real cost of becoming true learners of His ways. He draws the line and describes the gravity of following him with clear authority. He spells out his conditions and tells his disciples that it will be no easy task to follow him. He shares three lessons:
On Riches: No possession but providence. Jesus tells one of his would-be followers that he has nothing to own. Having no place to sleep, he relies only with what is given him. Following Jesus will mean that one will have to be satisfied with the blessings that he receives along the way of life. And it will not also be an easy walk in the park as he possesses no earthly riches that will afford him a place to lay down his head. The disciple can only rely on God’s providence.
On Honor: No personal ambitions but shared presence. To another who wants to bury his father first before following him, Jesus says, “let the dead bury the dead.†It may be a little bit mean to hear it at first, but one interpretation of this passage is that the father of the disciple has not died yet. The follower would just like to wait first for his father’s death before following Jesus. This implies that the person is asking Jesus to wait for the moment that life deals its options for him – to pursue and finish one’s dreams first before sharing in Jesus’ dream for God’s Kingdom. Having no time for personal ambitions, Jesus asks his follower to let these go. As the invitation to follow God asks one to come to Him with great dispatch, Jesus emphasizes that the best time to answer to God’s call is now.
On Power: No security but hopeful trust. Finally, Jesus tells a third follower to keep his eyes on the plow. Looking back and saying goodbye to home brings about a sense of insecurity and purposelessness. If one always looks back to the “what has been†and the “what ifs†of life, he loses the sense of appreciating what is given to him. To plant the seeds of God’s Kingdom will ask the follower to abandon the things that make one secure in the past and focus on what is currently important.
In the Gospel today, like a good “boss,†Jesus clearly straightens out his followers. But he means to teach us to have courage and not be afraid of life’s challenges. He also asks us to look at the many opportunities given us to spread the kingdom of God in our everyday living.
What does all this mean in our lives?
Imagine someone who inspires you in life share with you his dreams and visions. He may be your leader, your friend, your neighbor, an acquaintance, or even your boss. He asks you to join him as he carries out his plans. Would you join him and see things through? How have you followed such people in your life?
Now imagine Jesus Christ calling you to be part of his dream of sharing the good news of God’s Kingdom here on earth. He asks you to be with him and share in the toil and the blessings that come by in the journey of life. How do you feel about this? Are you shaken or threatened? Does it make you afraid or hopeful? Do you see yourself faithfully following Him all these years? How can we give more of ourselves in this endeavor?
May we all be guided by the Spirit of Jesus in whatever we do. May we always be reminded of our place in the greater scheme of things. In the end we are instruments in the spreading of God’s Kingdom – of spreading his mercy and love. We are His instruments. It’s His work. He is the Boss.