Matthew 28:9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.

Matthew gets the story slightly scrambled, but he does have Mary Magdalene grabbing Jesus’ feet. John, in chapter 20, gives a bit more detail here. The point, however, is the same: Jesus rose physically, and the first people He chose to show Himself to were women. That absolutely violated every social convention of the day. A woman’s testimony in court was counted as only half as important as that of a man, illustrating just how much society looked down on women. However, Jesus is always in the business of lifting up the lowly, and we can’t argue with what He did. Human opinions mean very little, because we see only a small fraction of all that is going on, and our preconceptions distort what we do see. We all need to fix our attention, “the eyes of our heart,” as it is often expressed, on our Lord and allow Him to show us what is really going on. Jesus is still risen, and is actively working in the world today. We need to ask and allow Him to reveal to us the eternal realities that the world ignores. That’s not something we can figure out on our own, but in His grace He does show us what will be beneficial to us for what He has for us to do.

I’ve never had a vision of Jesus, nor have I seen angels. My wife has seen angels repeatedly, and in a near-death experience she went to heaven and did see Jesus. So much for women being inferior! However, the Lord does reveal Himself to me daily through the Bible, and through recognizing His working in the world around me. That said, I take hope in what Paul said: “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12) I greatly look forward to the time when all the hinderances to my perception are removed, and I see my Lord in all His glory. Frankly, I enjoy learning and knowing things, and in that sense, that will be the ultimate high. (Actually, it will be the ultimate high in every sense!) I am to rejoice to learn all that my Lord shows me, through my physical and intellectual perception and directly by His Spirit, but I must keep remembering that I don’t have the whole picture, and walk in humility. He shows Himself in different ways to different people, and I am to be willing to learn of Him through them, with gratitude and never pride.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the dream You gave Cathy last night, and for helping her understand its meaning. Help me recognize all You show me today, and each day, so that I may continue to grow as You desire and intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!