By the power of Jesus’ courtesy – 31 March 2020

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, by they urged him strongly, saying.”Stay with us, … So He went and stayed with them … And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him”. Luke 24:29-31

I once came across the following story told by a young man who came to faith in Russia behind the so-called “iron curtain”. He grew up in the communist regime where strict orders were the order of the day. You were told what to do and when. He explained why and how he became a believer. Jesus, he said, did not command him, or threaten him or coerce him. Jesus allowed him to make a choice of his own. There was no brainwashing. Jesus conversed or “chatted” with the young man simply asking him to give him his heart. No pressure.

We all recall the long and intense conversation Jesus had with the rich young man who asked him what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him what was needed, and allows him to make his own decision. That he does three years later on Good Friday, the day of Christ’s crucifixion.

The same occurs with the two anonymous travellers near Emmaus. Jesus makes way for them and waits patiently for them to invite him along.

How about you? Do you respect people’s need for privacy when it comes to spiritual matters? Think about the way we approach non-believers. Love is always the way to go.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for teaching us the manners of the cross. Give us the insight when talking to people about you, to respect them and not talk down to them. Let it be in love and compassion. Amen