Gandhi and the Boy
There is a well-known story about
Mahatma Gandhi. One day, a woman brought her son to him and said, "Sir, my son eats too much sugar. Would you please tell him to
stop?" Gandhi paused and then replied, "Please bring your child back in a week." Confused
but trusting his wisdom, the mother returned a week later with her son. This
time, Gandhi simply looked at the boy and said, "Stop
eating sugar, child." To the mother’s surprise, the boy
listened and changed his habit. A month later, the mother returned and asked, "My child has done what you asked, but why couldn’t you have told
him this the first time we came?" Gandhi gently replied, "A week ago, I was still eating sugar." Gandhi
knew he could not ask the boy to do something he himself had not yet done. His
words needed to match his actions.
Jesus and the Pharisees
This story reminds us of the
difference between Jesus and the religious leaders of His time. Matthew tells
us how the people responded after Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in this way: “When
Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
for he taught with real authority - quite unlike their teachers of religious
law” (Matthew 7:28-29, NLT). The Pharisees spoke one thing, but their lives
often told a different story. Jesus, however, spoke with true authority because
His words and His actions were one. There was no gap between what He taught and
how He lived. His life was the Word made flesh. When Jesus spoke, people
didn’t just hear truth—they saw it in Him.
Is the Sermon Practical?
Today’s
passage is part of the Sermon on the Mount, following the Beatitudes. Here,
Jesus expounds on what the Beatitudes look like in everyday life.
“Love your enemies. Do good to those
who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If
someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands
your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are
taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like
them to do to you” (Luke 6:27-31, NLT).
Is Jesus’ sermon practical?
Attainable? Jesus
lived it - He loved and forgave, even those crucifying him, saying, “Father,
forgive them!” But can we do that? Sometimes,
we struggle to love even our own families, let alone our enemies.
I
once read a piece titled, “Father Forgets” in Reader’s Digest. It’s about
a young father who regrets how he treated his son throughout the day. After the
boy fell asleep, he knelt beside his bed, shamed. A portion of his reflection
reads:
“Son, I have come to your bed side in
the darkness, I have knelt there, ashamed! It is a feeble atonement… tomorrow I
will be a real daddy! I will chum with you, suffer when you suffer and laugh
when you laugh. I will bite my tongue when impatient words come. I will keep
saying as if it were a ritual: “He is nothing but a boy – a little boy.” I am
afraid I have visualized you as a man… I have asked too much, too much!”
I don’t
know about you, but I often feel this kind of remorse at the end of the day. How
many times have I resolved to be a better person tomorrow? William Temple illustrated
this well: “It is no good giving me a play like Hamlet or King Lear, and
telling me to write a new play just like it. Shakespeare could do it; I can’t. And it is no good showing me a
life like the life of Jesus and telling me to live a life just like it. Jesus
could do it; I can’t. But if the
genius of Shakespeare could come and live inside me, I would then be able to
write plays like he did. And if the
Spirit of Jesus could come and live inside me, I would then be able to live a
life like he did.”[1]
This is the open secret of how to
live as a Christian. Jesus’ sermon is impossible to live out by sheer effort. But
if we allow His Spirit to transform us, everything changes. Christ’s sermon is not
about outward behavior, but it’s about an inner change of the heart.
Light of the World
As part of his sermon, Jesus tells
us, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be
hidden. Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
What does it mean to live as the light?
What does it look like? The other day my family and I watched Woodlawn. It
tells the true story of Tony Nathan, a talented high school football players in
the 1960s and 70s. Though he was an exceptional athlete, he was often benched
simply because he was Black. He endured discrimination and humiliation—until
something miraculous happened. Revival began—not with a coach or a
teacher, but one man who called himself a “sports chaplain.” He prayed for and
cared about the school and the football team, and transformation began, one
heart at a time. The real change wasn’t external—it was internal. The
team began to play, not for their own glory, success, or future, but for
something greater—God’s will, His kingdom, and His glory. Even their opponents
were transformed.
At times, I feel insignificant. I
struggle with doubt. I wonder if true revival is possible. Voices whisper, "It’s
just temporary," "People don’t really change," "It’s too
late," "It’s too hard." But then I remember: God is still at
work today. A miracle can happen when God shows up. Here’s a reflection from my
journal after watching Woodlawn:
“Lord,
I am weak. I feel powerless and insignificant. In the complexities of the UMC
structure, I struggle to speak truth and navigate the system. I don’t know how
to help revitalize aging local churches. But Lord, I will stand. I will follow.
I will light my candle. I will keep praying, keep showing up, keep loving and
forgiving. I will place my hope and trust in You. Fill me, use me, and send me
for Your glory. Amen.”
During Explo ‘72, Billy
Graham preached on the Sermon on the Mount. He once had the stadium lights
turned off. Then, one person lit their candle and passed it on, showing how
light spreads in darkness. He said, “You may feel insignificant. But think
about a candle—you can see its light from afar. And one candle becomes
two; two become four; four become ten; ten become hundreds.”
You might be the only Christian in
your family, workplace, or school. You may feel insignificant. But one single candle
in the dark can be seen from far away. Imagine if hundreds of people each held
a light—the entire space would glow. This is how revival begins.
At this time, we will light candles
as a reminder. Once everyone has received the light, we will sing “I Have
Decided to Follow Jesus.” May we shine, even when it feels small. May we pass
the flame. May we be willing to stand and be different. May this song be our
prayer. Amen.
I
have decided to follow Jesus;
I
have decided to follow Jesus;
I
have decided to follow Jesus;
No
turning back, no turning back.
The
world behind me, the cross before me;
The
world behind me, the cross before me;
The
world behind me, the cross before me;
No
turning back, no turning back.
Though
none go with me, still I will follow;
Though
none go with me, still I will follow;
Though
none go with me, still I will follow;
No
turning back, no turning back.
[1]
John Stott, Basic Christianity (The
IVP Signature Collection) (p. 123). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.
Hodgdon UMC & Houlton UMC: 
Pick up a baby bottle at church.
Fill it with coins, bills, or checks. (Please make checks payable directly to PCC.)
Return it by the last Sunday of the month (February 25).
