The Smallest Person in All the World
Part One: The Rabbi, the Woman, and the Cities
The Rabbi
(Twenty Years Before)
Jesus, son of Joseph, what would you do if you met the smallest person in the world?
The smallest, Rabbi?
Yes, the person who matters the least. The person with absolutely no power. The smallest person in all the world.
How would I know this person, dear Rabbi?
Indeed, how WOULD you know this person? For when we speak of the smallest person in the world we are speaking of the very mathematics of God. It is only with the reckoning of The Almighty that we are able to make sense of a newborn infant, a fallen sparrow, a single hair on your head.
And yet God's math is not known nor can it be found. It can only be received in the instant when it is needed. It exists only in the present moment.
Rabbi, I do not understand.
Young Jesus, you will never understand the mathematics of God until you meet the smallest person in the world and look into her eyes.
The Woman
In the very important city of Tyre, in the bustling and busy center of the business district, slumped against an earthen wall was the smallest person in all the world.
No one knew her name, and no one cared for her. She might have been attractive once, but hard living had taken her softness and left leathery skin, dirty feet, and a wet cough in its place.
Her little girl played at her feet. She was six, but had the mind of a two-year-old. Several times a day she would stiffen and shake with a palsy. Her fingers, wrists, and elbows would draw up, and she would stop breathing. Her face would grow red while spittle bubbled at her lips. In these moments, the woman would hold her and weep while she prayed fervently for the demons to leave her child. Passersby would point and say, "Demons!" They drew their clothing over their mouths and hurried past, terrified.
The woman begged for food in the streets. Pulling her child deep into the folds of her robe, she stretched out a hand to those who walked by. She said nothing for there was nothing to be said. There was no shame in her anymore. Desperation had driven shame away. She looked everyone in the eye and did what she had to do to live and take care of her child.
In the quiet moments of the night, she would look away and remember the man she saw two years before, when her husband, now dead, had taken her to Galilee. There she had seen a miracle worker who was able to cast demons out of children.
They had planned to go back to Galilee and bring their little girl to see Jesus. They had many plans back then, but all that was gone now.
Jesus lived in his world, and she was waiting to die in hers. The smallest person in the world lived each day waiting. She had no hope and nothing to wait for, but she waited all the same.
Waiting was all she had left.
The Cities
"Tyre and Sidon," he said, like it was nothing, like it was no big thing for good Jewish boys to take a little road trip to the "Twin Cities of Sin."
They all laughed because there was no way he was serious, but he kept packing his stuff, and he kept not saying anything. The laughing got quieter and then died out. The disciples started looking uncomfortable. They made eye contact with each other and tried to communicate with exaggerated facial expressions and shoulder shrugs. Several of them caught Peter's eye and indicated with sharp head movements that he should talk to Jesus and find out what the hell was going on.
Peter accepted his appointed role as spokesman without much thought. "Why Tyre and Sidon?" he asked loudly.
Jesus never stopped working. He was shoving supplies into a bag, and he spoke without looking up.
"Why not Tyre and Sidon? They've got good accommodations."
The men in the room burst into laughter again. Maybe Jesus was just joking after all. Someone shouted out, "How would YOU know?" and the laughter got even louder.
"I've been there," he said, pulling a rope tight around a bag. He looked up and showed no emotion at all. "I've been there a FEW times."
That silenced everyone. Then Peter put his hand on Jesus' arm and said, "Seriously, why do we need to go…there?"
Jesus dropped what he was holding and gave them his full attention.
"Okay guys, here's the deal. I need to get away. Need to get away bad. I need to go somewhere where no one knows me. Understand? I've got a lot of things to tell you, and time is short. Shorter than you know. It seems like we just get started talking and someone comes running up, wanting me to bless a child, or heal their mother-in-law or something. You know how it is."
"I need time alone, just with you. We need to get away and do some serious talking. You don't understand how important our work is, how much is riding on what we do."
"So we're going away. No one will know us, and we can talk in peace. Hey, it'll be fun. Trust me."
Tyre blew their minds. It was big, for one thing. Big and worldly. The chaos and confusion of frenetic commerce was everywhere they looked, from the men on the streets to the people barking from behind fruit stands. And there were women on the street corners too, women of the night.
"Listen now, because this is important. I don't want anyone to know who I am. I do not want to cause a scene. I don't want to teach, preach, or heal anyone. You know how the crowds get out of hand."
Thaddeus spoke up. "Why not, though? These people need to know God's love, right?" Thaddeus was like that. Big hearted.
"Yes, Thad, but that is not my calling. My life is given to the children of Israel. It will be for others to bring God's word to the gentiles."
"Have you guys considered what might happen if I healed someone here? Can you imagine if a crowd of needy people followed us home? Can you see me coming back to Capernaum with a mob of lepers and demon-possessed gentiles straggling after me? No. Now is not their time, and everything must be done in its season. Let us use our time here to prepare ourselves for what is to come. Keep your heads down and your noses clean."
Jesus cut right through the center of the city. The streets were very crowded, but he walked with confidence, like a man who knew where he was going. The disciples knotted themselves into a little clump and followed right on his heels, safe in his wake.
"Okay, there are SO many gentiles," Bartholomew said. He was walking with his wrists crossed in front of his chest, moving his shoulders violently to avoid brushing against anyone or anything. "Do you KNOW how unclean we're gonna be?"
Jesus just laughed. He didn't care if he touched a hundred gentiles. He was striding through downtown Tyre like it was his old neighborhood.
"Loosen up guys. We'll be fine. There are Jewish people here. The Diaspora Jews might be a little scary, but they know how to cook. We'll have soup like your mama makes it tonight; I know a great place. And tomorrow I know a quiet spot where we can talk."
|
Thaddaeus heard her first. He was in the back of the group, and he was feeling vulnerable. He had already stepped on the heel of James' sandal twice because he was trying to stay close behind him. James was getting pissy about it, so Thaddaeus was looking down, watching where he put his feet when he heard the faintest sound over the noises of the city. It sounded like a woman's voice from far away. It sounded like she shouted, "Jesus."
Thaddaeus stopped and turned around. He scanned the street, but all he saw were people moving fast and in every direction. "Nah," he said as he turned and trotted to catch up with the group.
Then he heard it again, this time louder.
"Jesus! Hey Jesus! Jeeee-suuuus!"
rlp
RLPDV
Coming Soon - Part Two: The Voice, the Eyes, and the Math of God |
|
7:44:11 AM 
|
