Gentle & Lowly

The Gospel writer Matthew recorded these now familiar words of Jesus, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (11:28-30)


At the time, Jesus was speaking to Jews who were under the authority of scribes and Pharisees. These officials were “rule-igious” and strictly enforced the 613 prescribed laws of the Old Testament in a legalistic way that propped up themselves with power and brought shame on everyone else. Jesus told his audience, and he is telling us, that he is offering a better way. Himself.


For I am gentle and lowly in heart.


To understand how Jesus is gentle and lowly, close your eyes. Notice the breeze on your cheek, how it cools and tickles. That breeze is invisible, yet we can see its effect all around us, the way it carries a single tiny grain of pollen miles away and pushes waves to the shore.


Then look into the deep of a horse’s eyes; notice the curl of his lashes. Put your hand on his coat, and feel his raw strength just beneath the surface of his natural gentility.


Jesus’ power is undeniable, yet he is good. He is the Prince of Peace who yearns to give us rest for our souls.


Almost 700 years before Jesus spoke these words, the prophet Zechariah wrote, “Behold your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (9:9)


Compare that image to Luke’s account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem: “And [the disciples] brought [the colt] to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near — already on the way down the Mount of Olives — the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!'”


It was the first-century version of a ticker tape parade. However, the disciples didn’t know that triumph would only come with sacrifice.


Let’s go back to the verse from Matthew. A yoke is a wooden bar used to team draft animals or to balance a person who is carrying a heavy load. Compare that image to the cross beam that Jesus carried through the streets of Jerusalem just a few days after he entered Jerusalem on a colt. The cross beam on which he would willingly lay down his life in the ultimate act of humility. Of lowliness. For us.


We don’t have to do the right things, or religious things, to earn our salvation. Jesus has already done the heavy lifting on the cross, and we need only to trust Him.


King Jesus, to be honest, trusting you isn’t always easy. We want to add to the Gospel, to earn our salvation, to trust the world because we see it and hear it. It’s in our faces. But oh, how we yearn for rest for our souls. Remove our heavy yokes that are not of you, and assure us of your gentleness and your goodness. Teach us to come to you with all of our burdens, our doubts and our failings. Teach us to walk by faith and not by sight. Amen.