John 20:18 (ESV)—Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
A clack traveled through the Costa Rican rainforest. Where is it? I wondered. Minutes later, the sound came a second time. The toucans were speaking to each other.
Like toucans use calls to communicate with their flock, Mary Magdalene sought Jesus with her cries. In John 20, she thrice asked about Jesus’ missing body. She spoke to the disciples, to two angels, and to the supposed gardener, but the only answer came from the gardener—her Teacher, her Rabbi, whom she recognized when he spoke her name. The risen Jesus replied to a member of his flock when she called—and she became the first witness to the Risen King.
Did you hear that? When Mary called, Jesus responded! First, he spoke her name and then replied with the command to “tell them” (John 20:17).
This scene assures us that when we dialogue with Jesus, he’ll respond. In our devastation or joyfulness, Jesus has an answer and, when he speaks our name, we become witnesses of our God who listens and responds.
How awesome is that?! Seeking God and listening for his response begin our journey to becoming a witness for Christ. His response becomes our account of his love, the substance for our witness. Today, let us go and announce words similar to Mary’s: “I have [heard] the Lord” (John 20:18).
Jeremiah 42:10 (ESV)—If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you.
The sloths, it seemed, did want to meet my expectation of big sloths, little sloths, sloths everywhere, hanging onto tree limbs, at a non-eye-straining distance in the rainforest canopy.
The sloth in the canopy of the Costa Rican rainforest looked more like a squirrel’s nest. The creature lay in a crook of branches, unmoving, the details of its fur visible only through a spotting scope.
Later in the guided nature walk, a baby sloth clung to a tree (or so the guide said), camouflaged in vines so well my eyes did not behold its cuteness.
And as if to tease me about the park’s name, Sloth Park, other creatures revealed themselves: a poisonous tree frog, a viper, plain chachalacas (a type of ground bird), and a bird of black feathers and bright red belly.
Speaking of expectations, the remnant of Judah in Jeremiah 42—survivors of Ishmael’s brutal slaughter of their governor, Gedeliah—held high expectations for settling in Egypt. Their minds conjured a peaceful land with tables full of bread. Yet God’s answer to Jeremiah’s prayer on their behalf did not meet their intention settle in Egypt (Jeremiah 41:17). When God said stay and live in Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem or go and die in Egypt, the leaders accused Jeremiah of lying (Jeremiah 43:2) and led the people, including Jeremiah, to Egypt.
We are fortunate to live under God’s watchful eye (Jeremiah 24:6) when our expectations contrast with his plan. To receive clear, exact instructions from God is a blessing, for sure, and by acting on his command, we await his best to play out in our lives. Our anticipation, then, becomes, how will he build us up and how will he plant us, rather than how can God meet our expectations?
With these questions in mind, how do we lay aside our expectations? By living out God’s command, which support us in awaiting his plan. For example, we might memorize and study a verse of Scripture that reminds us of his plan (e.g., Jeremiah 29:11), seek joy in our trials (James 1:2), or pray then pray some more (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Yes, the Bible is our guidebook to setting aside our expectations and living our best life.
Proverbs 13:4 (ESV)—The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
Have you ever seen a sloth in a tree in the rainforest canopy? This adorable creature hangs by three legs while the other, ever so slowly, reaches for a leaf to munch on or a limb to climb. This mammal’s sluggish movement, in fact, ensures its survival. The slowness of the sloth helps it evade the eyes of visual predators such as jaguars and eagles, and the green tint of its fur, caused by algae, provides camouflage in the canopy. Moreover, its lack of speed allows it to test each branch before committing its full weight to it, preventing falls from high in the canopy.
Why, then, does the term “sloth” have a negative connotation today? Simply, it comes from the Middle English slouthe, meaning “indolence, sluggishness, neglect of responsibilities.” Unfair, if I do say so, to mark a creature of God’s design with such a definition; thus, I dare to uplift the sloth as the “soul of the diligent” in Proverbs 13:4.
Whereas God richly supplies the sloth with techniques to survive in the wild, he desires to grant us more: eternal life. He wants us to move with his plan, using slow, deliberate intention, when necessary, to prevent ourselves from falling from the canopy.
Indeed, slow is the way to go in some scenarios. For instance, James 1:19–20 says, “let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” In other words, the diligent soul deliberately thinks about their emotional nature and chooses slowness and receives the righteousness of God in return for their faithful following of God’s Word.
What’s more, God also acts with slowness (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 86:15) and is “not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward [us], not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). This means that although the path to fulfilling God’s plan may seem long, God lavishes us with steadfast love to support us and leads us to eternal life.
Without a doubt, the person with the sloth’s soul is not slow and lazy but rather slow and intentional, desiring to follow God and gain the greatest reward. This soul benefits from the rich supply of God’s steadfast love, mercy, and grace, as well as his commandments of how to live. This individual “draws near to God [and believes] that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Because of this faith, this person does the slow work of preparing for the coming of Christ by memorizing and studying Scripture, giving up idols, seeking advice from fellow Christians, and thinking before speaking, among other actions.
To sum it up, the slothful soul is slothful when necessary, to ensure their life reflects God’s Word.
