It has been too long since I have posted. The busyness of life has pretty much dominated mine, hence the 6 weeks lag in postings.
A member of our church owns a local bed and breakfast. The other day I was taking an informal tour with Polly (our exchange student). As we moved from room to room, we were talking about the antiques therein and American history. Each room has it's own unique theme: garden, safari, angels, and Texas. While in the Texas room, she noticed a single yoke on the floor of the bathroom thinking perhaps it was a pair of six shooters (don't you have a pair of revolvers in your bath-- this is Texas after all). I then began to explain that it was, in fact, a yoke. A yoke of course is a farm implement that fits over the shoulders of a beast of burden used to pull a plow or cart.
It immediately reminded me of Matthew 11:28-30. Jesus is talking to the crowd and saying, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
In this passage, Christ is talking to a crowd of folks including teachers of the law. He had just rebuked those present that had rejected Him. They rejected Him because He had come in a manner of kingship different than they had expected. At this point, Christ turns to those who were willing to repent and follow Him, and He utters these words. It is kind of a strange phrase, and for a long time, I used to think that He was talking about sinful people that are burdened down with life in general.
However, history and context says otherwise. When ancient teachers would gather pupils to themselves, their system of teaching the pupils would undergo was called a “yoke.” In context, Christ is contrasting that following His teaching was not going to be burdensome like the teaching of the Talmud. Of course, keep in mind He is not saying that it would be easy, because He later said in the upper room that in this life His followers would have trouble (cf. John 16:33).
Nevertheless, today, I find myself asking have we created our own Talmuds? Have we once again placed yokes of burdens on those under our spiritual care? I think, so often, we spend so much time trying to get people to “DO” that we fail to teach them to “BE.” In truth, when we learn to “be,” the “doing” takes care of itself. Perhaps, this is a big reason why so many are skeptical of the church today. Christ’s warning to the Pharisee’s in Matthew 23 is very sobering.
Are you burdened today? Has anyone placed a yoke upon you? Have you placed one on yourself? On others? Be free!
