It Is To Your Advantage That I Go Away

A mother was mowing her front yard on a warm July afternoon. Her 13 year-old son sat at the front steps playing his Nintendo DS video game. Disturbed by this sight, their retired neighbor walked over to the kid and asked why he wasn't mowing the yard. "I don't know how to start the lawn mower," he said.

There's nothing wrong with a mother mowing the yard. But ignorance is no good excuse for the son not to be doing it instead. I can understand how families get to this scene. As a father there are many times my expectations for my kids are not quite what they should be. If my kid can't tie his shoes when he's 4 then why not just keep tying them for him when he's 5 or 6 or 7. Before you know it you got a 13 year-old who can't tie his shoes... completely dependent on a parent for this task. Hey if it works, why change it? It would just be aggravating for everyone involved.

But there is something good about a 13 year-old with the ability to operate mowing equipment safely. There is something good about a 6 year-old son being able to tie his shoes, take a shower on his own, pour his own cups of milk and read his own books. Equipped and empowered there is no limit to what a child is capable of learning and doing.

During Jesus' ministry, his followers learned much about him and the Kingdom of God. They depended on his acts and teachings to understand what all God was doing through him. The Gospels reveal that those same followers had a really tough time understanding just what Jesus was doing.

In order for them to grow in faith and become the instrument through which the gospel would be made known to the world, Jesus had to leave. They depended on Jesus for their every move while he was still around. But after he was gone they depended on Jesus in a new way: in a way that empowered them to use their gifts... in a way that equipped them to reach all the corners of the world with the message about Christ.

Jesus says, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you (John 16:7)." That Advocate is the Holy Spirit, given to us in our baptisms. Yes we depend on Jesus, but we are not puppet children waiting for Jesus to tie our shoes and mow our yard for us. Through the Spirit, Jesus is with us to give us faith in him and an ability to serve that not only surprises others, but often surprises ourselves.

After the teen boy told the retired man that he doesn't know how to start the lawn mower that retired gentleman took the boy aside and showed him how to do it. With some patience, encouragement and determination that boy now understood how to make that lawn mower go, from pressing the priming button to emptying the collection bag. By August that empowered boy was making $50 a week mowing yards for 3 of his neighbors.

The Spirit is our gift from Christ. He guides us in the truth and shows us all the amazing things we are capable of doing.