The whole point of 300wordsaday.com is considering what following Jesus looks like.  We’ve walked through most of 22 chapters of Matthew already (and some other territory). We’ve watched his followers (the disciples) do stuff and listen to stuff and argue about stuff.

I was fully prepared to look at chapter 22 and talk about the disciples.

I can’t find them.

It’s not like they are missing (no need for an APB), but they are not mentioned in this chapter.

Jesus is doing stellar argument and storytelling (we’ve been looking at that for the last couple weeks). People keep walking away amazed and astonished and angry. But there is no evidence of anything from the disciples.

I may be making something out of the nothing that’s here.

But I don’t think so.

It’s Jesus’ last week. He’s heading toward being killed. He’s teaching, yes, but he’s engaging people on a larger stage, speaking directly to people who are trying to trap him.

This is out of the disciple’s league. In this chapter, they aren’t being asked to do anything but watch. There is nothing they have the capacity to do.

This may still be true. Although I am frequently involved in trying to fix things, to be wise, to have ideas, there are many conversations and situations that are out of my league, that are best out of my hands. There are times that I am invited to do nothing, to wait, to be still, to just watch. There are times that Jesus is involved in conversations with people, convictions with people, demonstrations with people to which I have nothing to contribute.

The best thing at these times, I’m convinced, is to sit back and watch. To be amazed, too.

Sometimes the most spiritual thing to do is nothing.

Just watch the Master.