I really liked the way the Message interpreted this chapter. I won’t type out the whole thing but I’d like to share a few of my favorite parts.

“Keep your eyes on Jesus… Study how He lived. He could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you. Have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as His children? “My dear child, don’t shurg off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects.” Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live? God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best. At this time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feel like it’s going against the grain. Later it pays off handsomely. It is the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.”

I really like this part:

“Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. Work at getting along with each other and with God. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God’s life-long gift in order to satisfy a shrot-term appetite.”

This reminds me how important it is to not just go to church but to be involved with the family there. I heard one good illustration earlier this week–if you pull a coal away from the fire, it will slowly cool down until it doesn’t even burn any more. I used to think I could have a much stronger relationship with God by staying home on Saturdays and having my own worship time, but I think that attitude is just asking for trouble. I think it’s really important to try and step out and be a part of the family at church so that you can have that assurance that someone else might stop you from “stepping in that hole and spraining an ankle.”