Make me

My poor brother! As the oldest, he sometimes got stuck babysitting my little sister and me. Mom and Dad would go to the PTA meeting. Tom got stuck watching us. My poor brother! He tells us to brush our teeth. It's getting near bedtime. We say, "You can't make me!" He tells us to go to bed. It is bedtime. We say, "You can't make me!" My poor brother! I am reminded of this because of this week's Gospel reading. It says (Matthew 14:22) that Jesus made the disciples get into a boat to go on without Him. What?! Did Jesus pull a gun? "Get in the boat, or I'll shoot"? I doubt Jesus made His followers go ahead by threat. Back in Matthew 7, it says Jesus spoke with authority. Not like the pastors. Jesus' authority was that He was walking the walk. Not just talking the talk.

My teacher, Professor Eddie O'Neal, would say, "You cannot lead where you will not go." The only power I got is the power of example. What will my example be, today?