Sometimes the boldness of Jesus' parables hits me freshly. This week's passage is one of those occasions. This story is so prescient and pointed, I find myself thinking, "He said that directly to them? Of course they wanted him dead." That, after all, is often how our own hearts work when someone calls us out publicly. Yet the beauty of this passage snaps into focus when I realize Jesus' pervasive goal was not to shame us, but rather to pursue us. The majesty of the heart of God is readily on display in that he calculated the cost and still was willing to act. Let's talk about that heart: “They Will Respect My Son” (Mark 12:1-12).
