The Greener Grass

The Greener Grass

Have you ever heard that expression that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence?  This looks pretty good, but over there in that yard they have had a lawn service and wow is it lush and so green.  I could just walk around in that barefoot for hours and it would feel so good…

I think that there was a mom once upon a time that dreams of greener grass for her songs.  “Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons, and kneeling down, asked a favor of him,” (Matthew 20:20).    Here was a mom who had an idea of greener grass.  And, really – who could blame her?  She has caught the idea of Jesus as the son of God and wanted something great for her sons. 

“‘What is it you want?’ he asked.  She said, ‘Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.’”  This is a mom who wants greener grass for her sons and perhaps for herself. 

Jesus points back the spotlight onto her own grass.  “‘You don’t know what you are asking,’ Jesus said to them.  ‘Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?’  The grass, it’s not so green right here.  In fact, it’s full of moles, thorns, and weeds.  Don’t walk barefoot because your feet are going to get cut!  But, that grass still looks really good and green, so the answer comes. “‘We can.’”

What cup is that?  In this case, the cup is the acts in the coming days, the terror and horror of each moment.  Instead, the reply came, “‘You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or let is not for me to grant.  These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.’”  Sorry, that grass isn’t for me to share.  I am respecting the authority of the one who owns the grass. 

The grass, the perception of something better, it’s not such a bad thing.  Yet, in this case there was a loss of focus in yearning for the green, the better.  Sometimes, you have to take stock of your grass realistically and learn first to work and remove the weeds through hard work first. 

I think we all do that sometimes.  And not necessarily for things, but sometimes for situations.  Wow, I would love to have that family, home, relationship, child, job, opportunity, skill, education, dream, ability, etc…  I wish I could have that kind of patience, faith, hope, trust, love…  I can’t say that I have ever yearned for the right or left hand of God in his kingdom.  But, there are other things I have wished, pined, ached for.  Yet, the cup, the path, that God has prepared for me is a special one, a unique one.  I need to trust that the grass is just the right patch of grass for me right now.  Dig in, weed, and make it as best as I can.