O Jerusalem - Day 3

Christ gave many parables and valuable lessons on this day.

He explains the two commandments that encompass all other commandments, which is to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." (Matthew 22:37) and to "love thy neighbor as thyself." (Matthew 22:39) At first I wondered, how can those two commandments cover all the others? I thought about it, and if we truly love our Heavenly Father, wouldn't we do anything he asks us to do? Wouldn't we try our very best to choose what's right, and to be full of gratitude and obedience to Him? I hope so :) Loving our neighbor, to me, means treating everyone the way Christ would. He never lied or gossipped or insulted - instead he showed mercy and understanding even to those who wronged him. Patience and love is what He is asking us to have for each other. How can we mistreat another human being divinely created by God? If we see each other the way Christ sees us, maybe we will be able to see the beauty in everyone around us.

This is one of my favorite paintings of Christ. It reminds me of the way he watches the world. The artist was inspired by Matthew 23:37 - "O Jerusalem.. how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings.." The artists explains the meaning behind the painting, and I wanted to share it because I thought this was the most beautiful description of how Christ might have felt.

"This is a Messianic exclamation of profound concern and unconditional love for all who have lost their way and suffer while wandering in spiritual darkness. As the slanting rays of the sun reflect upon the rooftops of Old Jerusalem, Christ reflects upon His life’s mission and upon those He came to serve and bless. His gaze takes in the glistening gold and marble of Herod’s Temple and the smoke of burnt offerings upon the altar. He was keenly aware that soon He would offer Himself up as the true Passover Lamb - “ the Lamb of God.” Here, upon the Mount of Olives, Jesus could see the day, like His mortal ministry, coming to a close. However, a new day always dawns and there is hope and comfort in His words, “Lo, I am with you always.” Just as He looked down upon the traveling pilgrims entering Jerusalem, He watches still from yet a higher vantage point, ready to extend His protective wing to all who seek Him." -Greg Olsen

Today Christ also gave the parable of the 10 Virgins and the Widow's Mite (Matthew 25:1-13 and Mark 12:41-44, respectively). We all know the story of the 10 Virgins, the moral of the story is to be prepared! You never know when you will meet Christ, so make sure you are making wise choices, and repenting if you make a mistake.

The Widow's Mite is such a sweet parable. When I read the scriptures that go along with the parable, I imagined Christ watching people pass by and throw money into a treasury. There are many wealthy people giving lots of money, but Christ notices a sweet old woman putting in just a couple coins. Jesus says that she has given more than the rest of them, because she had given up all she has. The rich had plenty to spare, but this old woman had given up her small and humble earnings for a greater cause. I think there are many ways to apply this lesson to our own lives, in giving our money, time, talents, and energy to others even when it seems we may not have enough for ourselves.

I hope you think of these valuable lessons and find ways to make them meaningful in your own life. :)