Jews in the first century believed that the coming Messiah would be a king from the line of David. What they didn’t anticipate was that the Messiah would embody Israel’s God on earth. Jesus was the fullness of God in bodily form, and he revealed that the nature of God is love and humility. The way to life is the way of the cross, not pride or selfishness.

Mark weaves together three scenes to highlight a core truth about Jesus and the kingdom of God. The application will vary for each person but the goal is the same: love God and others.

The Jewish leaders question Jesus about his authority but he doesn’t answer them directly. Instead he asks them a question about John the Baptist and tells them a parable. What we learn is that Jesus is God’s ultimate sign, his fullest revelation. Everything hinges on where a person stands with Jesus. This has application for us globally and personally.

Jesus curses a fig tree, clears the Temple of money changers, and teaches his disciples about prayer, faith, and forgiveness. These events are related to one another and give us a vision for the Kingdom of God that includes justice, peace, and diversity.

During Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, people believed it was time for God to finally bring salvation to Jerusalem. But instead of inaugurating the great day of the Lord, Jesus did something very different. The people were left wondering, what do you do when things don’t go as expected. That’s a question that has application for our lives too.

The story of Bartimaeus receiving his sight is part of a larger picture Mark is painting to show the difference between faith and spiritual blindness. The reason the disciples can’t see what a blind man can see has application for us today.

Walking with wisdom involves making decisions with the end in mind. Each of us must ask this question: What is the goal of my life? If our goal is all about ourselves then we’ll become the kind of people who are self-consumed and shallow. But if we want Jesus and his life, then we will intentionally arrange our daily lives to put him first. This will result in a life full of joy, peace, and love.

In the last chapter of the Book of Proverbs we get a vision of wisdom through a poem about a virtuous wife and mother. This week we learn that walking in wisdom involves developing gratitude for our mothers.

Wise people walk with a constant readiness to learn. Although it’s hard to admit, some of life’s most important lessons come in difficult circumstances. Suffering can be some of the best soil for growing wisdom. If we’re willing to learn, God will use our pain and frustrations to mold us into the kind of people who walk with joy in all circumstances.

Walking with wisdom has a lot to do with how we talk. We can become the kind of people who naturally speak life-giving words, even in stressful times.