“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, 

and you will find rest for your souls.”–Matthew 11:29

In officiating at funerals, I often open with these words of Jesus:  “Come unto me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens.” That message has always seemed fitting for such times. Whether the death was a shock or expected, grieving loved ones are often worn-out. Yet those words from Jesus apply to other times as well.  “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me” he continued on that same day “for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”     

Notice Jesus doesn’t encourage his first audience and us to “learn about me” though certainly our task as disciples is to grow in discovering the facts of his life and ministry. Nor does he say “learn of me” though that is part of what each new generation must do as well. No, Jesus says we are to “learn from me” proclaiming he is to be our model for faithful living.

Since we live twenty-one centuries later, our primary source for doing that is the Bible, in particular, the New Testament. Most frequently in the gospels, but on occasion we can hear words in the 23 other books or letters of the Christian Scriptures. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son…Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you…Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me…My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness…I am the Alpha and Omega.”  Such words and the others are the main way we learn from Jesus. 

Yet we also learn from Jesus when, in those same pages, we pay attention to his actions.  For what lessons do we gain in reading of how just prior to or after significant deeds of ministry that Jesus would withdraw from the crowds to pray?  What insights come when recall how he gathered with the Twelve for their final meal and even though he knew Judas would betray him did not berate that one before he left?  What are our takeaways when we look in all these centuries later and watch him follow the path God created for him instead of resisting it and scrambling to assemble defenders for a different way? There is much to learn that arises alongside his words and that kind of education happens in many other settings, too.          

A few years ago, our family was enjoying a vacation in Maine when I asked our son how his work was going.  He is a CPA who has been with one of the Big Four firms for more than a  decade. I don’t pretend to understand the day-to-day issues involved in that work, but was struck by something he told me then. In particular, he shared how he had earned a reputation for being able to deliver hard news to clients in a way that they could accept it.  “That’s a real skill,” I said. “How do you think you learned to do that?’ and he replied “I watched Mom and you do that with others over the years.” For the life of me, I can’t recall a single incident that contributed to that skill, but it was a clear reminder that all of us learn by watching, too.

That is the gift Jesus extends to us, as in word and deed he reveals the kind of life God intends. Which is why he urges us to learn from his words and deeds. All in such a way that we will find rest when needed, and wisdom for the other moments, too.  

Great Teacher, we are your students. May we finally learn today what we need to know. Amen.