Under Pressure: Mark 10:32-34

A sign of good character is that when difficult times come, we stay the course.  It’s cliché to say, but anyone can talk a good talk.  Character comes when we walk the walk.  Words are easy; actions are hard.  Want to truly know who you are deep inside?  Put yourself under pressure and examine who shows up.  None of us are perfect under pressure – even diamonds have flaws.  But there is a chasm of difference between a slightly flawed diamond and crushed powder of what used to be stone.

Once more, Jesus teaches His disciples that He is going to be handed over and crucified.  He also teaches them that He will rise again.  This is the third time Jesus has broached the subject with His disciples.

This time, the teaching happens literally as they walk to Jerusalem.  This teaching is days prior to the crucifixion and resurrection happening.  It is difficult to imagine the strength of will it took Jesus to walk towards His death.  Not only did He go towards His death; He also taught about what was coming as He went.  There are several lessons to learn from this. 

First, our character shows up in our times of trials.  Even though Jesus knew He would die, He still went to Jerusalem. He went, because His character was strong and He knew it was what God wanted from Him.  He went because it would save those He cared about.

Second, hard decisions are made easier by company.  As Jesus goes to Jerusalem, He goes with His disciples.  Difficult journeys are made easier when we have people to share them with.  Sometimes those other people serve as encouragement to help us get through the difficult time.  Other times, like we have here since the disciples didn’t understand what was happening, those people merely serve as distractions while we endure the buildup.

Third, talking about something difficult makes it easier.  When we talk through coming trials, we process the emotion and the logic.  We become accustomed to what is coming.  We mentally prepare ourselves to embrace the trial.

Fourth, difficult times are frequently the best moments from which to teach.  Jesus continues to teach as He heads towards His death because He understands the disciples still need His wisdom.  He also knows that when the disciples look back on these moments after the fact, they will understand the example Jesus is setting for them.  If Jesus continues to focus on God’s plan when life got tough, the disciples will be encouraged to do the same.

Jesus puts forth an incredible display as He takes His disciples up the road to Jerusalem.  Nothing changes as Jesus heads towards persecution.  Jesus has been about teaching and making disciples.  Jesus has been about creating community.  Jesus has been about putting the focus on God.  Jesus has been about servant leadership.  A sign of good character is that when difficult times come, we stay the course.