13 September | Youth
«Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, […] “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask.”» Mark 10:35, 37-38
Be careful about what you ask God for. Unless you are prepared to receive the blessing, you could end up in trouble! Therefore, before asking, think carefully about what you want, what motivates you, what attracts you, your goals and needs. The better you understand this, the easier it will be to deal with what comes next. I came to this conclusion based on an illustration by pastor Bullón in his book The Wise Leader. A certain young woman wanted to be a doctor. Why? She liked the idea of wearing a white uniform and having status. That is not a problem. The only problem is that reality is often more complex than our uninformed imagination.
During the internship, when the girl started seeing blood and dealing with the outpatient routine, she understood that she was in the wrong place. She did not have the strength to do what needed to be done, besides putting on the white coat and fantasizing about the profession.
Being able to discern which goals are worthwhile is a gift from God. This is not about mere logic or self-knowledge. James and John may have known each other well. Apparently, they had clear goals. Their vision, however, was more on the rewards of work than on the “work itself.” They knew little about the Leader they had and even less about the “enterprise” to which they wanted to dedicate their lives. Two serious mistakes, don't you think?
They had a distorted idea of what awaited them in “real life.” Therefore, the request they made to the Lord was completely out of focus, as is still the case with us today. This is the reason the prayers of many are not answered: “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3). James and John had not yet understood that the “glory of Jesus” consisted of giving Himself to save people and bringing them hope. They had not understood that the greatest reward is not the salary, the prestige, the house on the beach, or retirement, but the privilege of making a difference in people's lives, receiving and being a blessing at the same time. It took them a while, but they finally understood. And you?