“When they were alone, He expounded all things to His disciples” Mark 4:34”

I imagine that no matter what location you have found yourself recently, the local, national and international news in some form has reached you wherever you were.

Whether away on your dream vacation or just thankfully tooling around your humble abode enjoying the approaching frigid weather conditions and your daily journey; I believe the news of the times, which has been disturbing, sad and heartbreaking at times, and has offered so many viewpoints and perspectives, have reached you and impacted you in some fashion. And even though most of the news reports of tragedies and violence were disturbing and troubling, it was so common to offer our perspective as to who was spot on or who was misguided and wrong.

Oftentimes many people find it so easy to take sides or just jump in without knowing all the facts and consequently their perspective are injurious, hurtful and divisive and becomes fertile ground for discord. In reading through the gospels, I find that Jesus’ disciples were sometimes no different in understanding matters and in responding to situations and actually confused as to what Jesus had said.

Oftentimes, they eagerly offered their perspectives, but the Lord Jesus always took time to point them in the right direction. Also, those of us as his disciples, he desires that we would not be misguided and confused either, but rather focused in the right direction.

In Mark’s gospel is an instance in point whereby Jesus is very intentional in seizing a special moment to get his disciples alone. He took the time to communicate and commune with them but more especially, he spoke to their hearts and spirit and equipped them to better understand a matter and thus, offer the right perspectives. He desires to do the same for us.

However, we can benefit greatly by facilitating that process by intentionally seeking to be alone with him and desiring him to speak to our heart and spirit in these turbulent times of tragedies, violence and sad news seemingly all around which causes divisiveness amongst friends, families, co-workers and communities. In many instances when people offer perspectives in hurtful and mean-spirited ways it causes divisiveness and discord.

Let’s strive to be alone with him and seek that moment that he speaks personally with us whereby our perspectives will be laced with love, respect, reconciliation where applicable, mercy and divine grace. We can always present our perspectives in the right manner. Let’s constantly seek to be alone with Him and hear what he has to say. In the noise and rhetoric of the times it’s difficult to hear him calling but let’s call him and he is sure to give us a personal audience.

Rev. Dr. James Taylor is pastor of Jericho Baptist Church in Farmville. His email address is jht3@verizon.net.