This morning in Mark chapter 8 I read this:
14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15 “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”
16 They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”
“Twelve,” they replied.
20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”
They answered, “Seven.”
21 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
I couldn’t help but think how much I am like the disciples (when in fact I am called to imitate Jesus, not them), How often have I heard or read a word from God and instead of asking for the One who spoke it to clarify it for me, I turn to others to ask (verse 16). And often like the disciples, I miss the right answer by doing this.
Some commentators say that the disciples were really trying to figure out which one of them they could blame for not bringing bread. Even if that is what they were doing rather than carrying what Jesus said, I can still identify. There are times I miss the point of what I’ve heard from the Lord only to divert to another topic to take the heat off of me needing to respond.