IN THE MIDST OF ROTTEN TOMATOES
Speaking to His disciples, Jesus says this, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest…for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 12:28 & 30)
Later, speaking to His followers, He says this, “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.” (Matthew 24:9)
Contradiction, anyone? How can we be subject to tribulation, yet consider that an easy yoke or a light burden?
If my wife April said to me, “I love you,” then a couple of days later, she said, “I don’t love you,” wouldn’t I wonder if she could benefit from counseling? Would I wonder if there was a pill she could take?
Suppose a friend announced, “Nobody goes to that restaurant because it’s too crowded.” At least one of your eyebrows would rise in puzzlement. You’d assume his ten gallon hat was short a few gallons.
Let’s make sense of what seems like Jesus’ contradictory statements.
First, the application of these two verses can only be made to Believers.
For the non-believing world, Jesus’ two statements are definitely contradictions. In the non-believing world, a person can’t be killed or hated and also believe he has an easy yoke or a light burden. No one in the non-believing world can have rest when running from someone trying to kill him.
How can this stark difference between Believers and non-Believers exist? One of the key characteristics of a Believer is that he doesn’t truly belong to this world. As the old hymn says, “This world is not my home. I’m just a passin’ through.”
When the seventy disciples return to Jesus filled with joy because they were able to cast out demons, which was both circumstantial and temporary, He tells them to focus on something infinitely more substantial: “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, BUT rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.” (Luke 10:20)
In contrast, in one sense, this world is the only heaven a non-Believer will ever possess. Therefore, he better hope he finds all the brief glimpses of rest he can muster. He better relish any light burdens coming his way.
When the world relentlessly hurls rotten tomatoes at him, the non-Believer can only run and hide. He runs to a sunny beach, but the tomatoes find him there. He hides in alcohol or drugs, but the tomatoes find him there. He builds a man-cave, wishing he could stay there forever. The tomatoes beckon him, and he must go.
For Believers, an important Person powerfully fuses Jesus’ two statements. The Holy Spirit dwells within all Believers. While the world rages, throwing rotten tomatoes at the Believer at every opportunity, the Holy Spirit busily works, growing His versions of joy, peace and goodness within the Believer.
Even though rotten tomatoes bombard him, the Believer is strengthened, encouraged and comforted. The burden of all those rotten tomatoes becomes light, just as Jesus promised. In the midst of the tomato shower, the Believer finds rest. The Believer has no doubt his name is written in the Book of Life even if a million tomatoes assail him.