Gandhi and the Boy
There is a well-known story about Mahatma Gandhi. One day, a woman brought her son to him and said, "Sir, my son eats too much sugar. Would you please tell him to stop?" Gandhi paused and then replied, "Please bring your child back in a week." Confused but trusting his wisdom, the mother returned a week later with her son. This time, Gandhi simply looked at the boy and said, "Stop eating sugar, child." To the mother’s surprise, the boy listened and changed his habit. A month later, the mother returned and asked, "My child has done what you asked, but why couldn’t you have told him this the first time we came?" Gandhi gently replied, "A week ago, I was still eating sugar." Gandhi knew he could not ask the boy to do something he himself had not yet done. His words needed to match his actions.
Jesus and the Pharisees
This story reminds us of the difference between Jesus and the religious leaders of His time. Matthew tells us how the people responded after Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in this way: “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority - quite unlike their teachers of religious law” (Matthew 7:28-29, NLT). The Pharisees spoke one thing, but their lives often told a different story. Jesus, however, spoke with true authority because His words and His actions were one. There was no gap between what He taught and how He lived. His life was the Word made flesh. When Jesus spoke, people didn’t just hear truth—they saw it in Him.
Is the Sermon Practical?
Today’s passage is part of the Sermon on the Mount, following the Beatitudes. Here, Jesus expounds on what the Beatitudes look like in everyday life.
“Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you” (Luke 6:27-31, NLT).
Is Jesus’ sermon practical? Attainable? Jesus lived it - He loved and forgave, even those crucifying him, saying, “Father, forgive them!” But can we do that? Sometimes, we struggle to love even our own families, let alone our enemies.
I once read a piece titled, “Father Forgets” in Reader’s Digest. It’s about a young father who regrets how he treated his son throughout the day. After the boy fell asleep, he knelt beside his bed, shamed. A portion of his reflection reads:
“Son, I have come to your bed side in the darkness, I have knelt there, ashamed! It is a feeble atonement… tomorrow I will be a real daddy! I will chum with you, suffer when you suffer and laugh when you laugh. I will bite my tongue when impatient words come. I will keep saying as if it were a ritual: “He is nothing but a boy – a little boy.” I am afraid I have visualized you as a man… I have asked too much, too much!”
I don’t know about you, but I often feel this kind of remorse at the end of the day. How many times have I resolved to be a better person tomorrow? William Temple illustrated this well: “It is no good giving me a play like Hamlet or King Lear, and telling me to write a new play just like it. Shakespeare could do it; I can’t. And it is no good showing me a life like the life of Jesus and telling me to live a life just like it. Jesus could do it; I can’t. But if the genius of Shakespeare could come and live inside me, I would then be able to write plays like he did. And if the Spirit of Jesus could come and live inside me, I would then be able to live a life like he did.”[1]
This is the open secret of how to live as a Christian. Jesus’ sermon is impossible to live out by sheer effort. But if we allow His Spirit to transform us, everything changes. Christ’s sermon is not about outward behavior, but it’s about an inner change of the heart.
Light of the World
As part of his sermon, Jesus tells us, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
What does it mean to live as the light? What does it look like? The other day my family and I watched Woodlawn. It tells the true story of Tony Nathan, a talented high school football players in the 1960s and 70s. Though he was an exceptional athlete, he was often benched simply because he was Black. He endured discrimination and humiliation—until something miraculous happened. Revival began—not with a coach or a teacher, but one man who called himself a “sports chaplain.” He prayed for and cared about the school and the football team, and transformation began, one heart at a time. The real change wasn’t external—it was internal. The team began to play, not for their own glory, success, or future, but for something greater—God’s will, His kingdom, and His glory. Even their opponents were transformed.
At times, I feel insignificant. I struggle with doubt. I wonder if true revival is possible. Voices whisper, "It’s just temporary," "People don’t really change," "It’s too late," "It’s too hard." But then I remember: God is still at work today. A miracle can happen when God shows up. Here’s a reflection from my journal after watching Woodlawn:
“Lord, I am weak. I feel powerless and insignificant. In the complexities of the UMC structure, I struggle to speak truth and navigate the system. I don’t know how to help revitalize aging local churches. But Lord, I will stand. I will follow. I will light my candle. I will keep praying, keep showing up, keep loving and forgiving. I will place my hope and trust in You. Fill me, use me, and send me for Your glory. Amen.”
During Explo ‘72, Billy Graham preached on the Sermon on the Mount. He once had the stadium lights turned off. Then, one person lit their candle and passed it on, showing how light spreads in darkness. He said, “You may feel insignificant. But think about a candle—you can see its light from afar. And one candle becomes two; two become four; four become ten; ten become hundreds.”
You might be the only Christian in your family, workplace, or school. You may feel insignificant. But one single candle in the dark can be seen from far away. Imagine if hundreds of people each held a light—the entire space would glow. This is how revival begins.
At this time, we will light candles as a reminder. Once everyone has received the light, we will sing “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.” May we shine, even when it feels small. May we pass the flame. May we be willing to stand and be different. May this song be our prayer. Amen.
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
[1] John Stott, Basic Christianity (The IVP Signature Collection) (p. 123). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.
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