First Class

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

FIRST CLASS

John 2:4-10

4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

NIV

A long story is unfolded for us here but it reveals a simple truth. We should think about how Jesus responded to his mother for a moment. It seems he was not pleased with her putting him on the spot plus the fact he did not call her mother but dear woman. This phrase, this word is not one of disrespect, as he used the same word on the cross for his mother when he told John to take care of her. We do not know the actual tone of his voice, and we could read in a rebuke into this response, but we might well be wrong. He could have said this in a loving quiet tone, suggesting to her not to get anxious, that he would do want needs to be done when it is needed, but at that very exact time, he was not ready. He would do this, but when it was precious the right moment. We do not know the exact time between his response and her telling the servants to do whatever he tells you. We seem to assume it was immediately after he told her to wait until the time was right. Nevertheless he did want she had asked of him, as he always does, not just because she was his mother, but because she was a dear woman, a woman of faith, believing in his power, his ability to perform a miracle. When Jesus does miracles he does them to the very best, as this wine he had turned the water into was the best the master of the banquet had tasted at this wedding. There is nothing second class about what Jesus does. Man can so some second, even third class works, but when Jesus is involved it is first class all the way. It should give us pause, a period of reflection of how we do in our service to him. Do we hold back? Do we give just a portion of our talent, our ability, our service to Jesus? Do we do a second class job of being a believer? When we are called to a task, do we hesitate because it might interfere with our own desires? Yes, Jesus is God and God only does things perfectly because he is God, and we are not perfect and therefore cannot do things perfectly, but we can give it our all, give the first class service he deserves. Whenever we pay for a first class ticket or service we expect it to be the best, Jesus always gives the best, always gives first class, should we do any less for him? We need to treat Jesus as first class.