The Colt Under the Tree

When they were nearing Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany on Mount Olives, [Jesus] sent off two of the disciples with instructions: "Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you'll find a colt tethered, one that has never yet been ridden. Untie it and bring it. If anyone asks, "What are you doing?” say, "The Master needs him, and will return him right away.” (Mark 11:1-3, The Message)

Supposed it was YOU who received those instructions, what would you do? How would you handle being in such a situation? To get the colt is, technically and legally speaking, stealing. Not only will the two disciples commit a felony, it would be pretty awkward moment if people saw them doing it.

And yet they did it.

They followed Jesus’ command to the tee and were successful in their errand. They pushed aside their embarrassment and fear and did what they were told. I believe that they are not dumb guys. But their faith in the Jesus was that strong and they were resolved to follow Him, doing WHATEVER He asks of them.

Obedience breeds leadership. A great leader is a good obedient follower. People wanted to be on the top without starting from the bottom, thus missing out a lot of things that can only be obtained if you reach down there. To follow is one thing; to obey is another.

There are two kinds of followers: those who do it because they want to, and those who had no choice but to do it. I don’t believe that the latter is lesser than the former; rather I think that this is even better than saying ‘yes’ then not following at all. I remembered the incident with the Philippine Marine Corps a few weekends ago. Soldiers were trained to “do as they were told.” The chain of command is something precious, sacred and disobedience is met with a harsh penalty. And yet a mid-ranked soldier complained with a move by his superiors and brought his battalion with him. This soldier may not have value the chain of command then, but his people did, and they followed him wherever, even though (let’s be realistic) they don’t even share his sentiments. They just did what they were told.

The two disciples above, however, were obedient. They weren’t following blindly; they knew how stupid they would look if people caught them untying the colt. Yet they did it, fearless of what the people would think nor say. They just did what Jesus told them and their mission was accomplished.

In both groups they were both successful in doing what was asked of them. The only difference was that whereas one group wasn’t exactly conscious of what they were doing, the other knew theirs, and the consequences of it, yet overcame their doubts and just did it. Major leap of faith.

And that’s what the Lord has been asking me to do. It has been quite a week for me, spiritually. Messages of faith and obedience, infidelity and rebellion are what comprised my quiet times. Stories of destruction, cities burned to the ground, men, women and children killed. And then after all that the Lord will come and restore His people, all because of His great love for them. But the obedience part was what really struck me. What I stated above, it all started when the Israelites began disobeying God.

I’m as stubborn as an ass (the four-legged animal dude). I know what I’m supposed to do, yet I don’t do it. It’s like there’s a Thumbelina-ish sized angel on my right shoulder and a devil on my left trying to win me over their sides. And most of the time I became a leftist.

Now He wants me, badly. I’m convinced that He really wants me to do what He commanded me to. As for the details of which I have yet to know. If you’re gonna follow God, might as well do it just as He prescribed it (a great “thank you” to Pastor Philip, the one who conducts Bible study here in the office weekly; his teaching on this was the first time that I was really listening to him. This’ll be another entry in the future).

I also remember my faci telling us that obedience is the greatest sacrifice. Now that it’s the Lenten season, we are all asked to sacrifice something valuable in our lives, in the same way the God sacrificed the most valuable thing in His, Jesus Christ, and how Jesus sacrificed His life for us, that we may be saved and won’t need to give our own lives.

If there’s any life-giving we need to do, that is giving our lives TO GOD, FOR GOD. Once we gave Him our life, He will give us His. And the life He’s giving is eternal, everlasting. Don’t you want to have this life?