Beautiful Stones
- Venus Jackson
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Next week (3/31/26) Numbers Ch.20 |
Discussion Questions for Upcoming Numbers Chapter 20 - 03/31/2026
Why was God disappointed in Moses?
Do you think the consequence was too harsh?
Recap from Luke 21 3/24/2026
This chapter starts off in the temple—and it starts with a bang. It begins with the underdog winning. We love those kinds of stories… the ones where the person with the least training, materials, or connections—but the biggest heart—wins the race.
In this case, Jesus is watching people give their offerings, and He notices the most obscure person in the crowd… and He compliments her:
“Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.”
Can you imagine receiving a compliment like that—from the One who would go on to give the greatest gift any of us could ever receive?
It’s like the richest man in the world choosing to compliment the business sense of a tiny roadside lemonade stand owner instead of all the polished, successful restaurants around them.
It’s a heartwarming moment—but even more than that, it gives us hope. It shows us what He values. It’s not our money or our stuff—it’s our heart. And He noticed that this woman gave everything.
But as I kept reading, I couldn’t ignore the irony.
Jesus was looking at the people.
The disciples were looking at the building.
Can you imagine? Jesus is moved by this woman’s sacrifice, shares His thoughts… and gets nothing in return... because the disciples are distracted by the grandeur of the temple.
I can’t help but wonder if Jesus rolled His eyes.
In fact, Scripture doesn’t even record what they said—it must not have mattered much.
I imagine Jesus sighing as they redirect His attention to something so unimportant to Him. To Him, the temple was just a tool—a gathering place meant to shape hearts.
And then He says:
“As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”
It’s as if He’s saying, “You’re missing the point.”
This building? Temporary.
That woman’s heart? Eternal.
But the disciples panic. This is God’s temple. How could it ever be destroyed?
So Jesus refocuses them:
“Watch out that you are not deceived… When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened… the end will not come right away.”
And I get it—their reaction makes sense.
Jesus had just shown them a better way to live. He taught them respect, exposed hypocrisy, and gave them a sense of stability and purpose. So hearing Him talk about chaos and destruction must have been unsettling.
But in hindsight, He was setting them free again. The same freedom he recognized in the faith of the woman who was willing to give her last.
He was telling them: don’t get swept up in the chaos. Stay grounded. Stay focused.
“…that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
Jesus is giving us permission to step out of the noise of the world—to think critically.
Because the truth is, we are constantly being dazzled:
The temple dazzled the disciples
Corporations dazzle us with food that isn’t good for us
Clothing brands dazzle us with unrealistic standards
Governments can even stir fear to push us toward conflict
Jesus is saying: Think. Stay alert. Don’t be deceived.
Because history shows us how overwhelming the world can feel.
When the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, people must have thought the world was ending.
When Mount Tambora erupted in 1815—heard over 1,000 miles away, darkening skies and destroying crops—people must have thought the same.
The World Wars—90 to 100 million dead, entire empires gone, generational trauma still felt today.
Even COVID—families separated, lives lost, fear everywhere.
These are the kinds of moments Jesus was talking about—the kind of world that woman was living in.
And yet… she still gave everything.
And His message?
Be ready—but don’t panic.
Stay connected to Him.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
Every generation will feel this. There will be hardship, loss, and uncertainty.
But His Word is constant.
Unshaken. Unchanging.
And even when it feels like the end is near—we are not powerless.
Just like Moses and Abraham interceded for others, we can too.
They stood in the gap—even for people who opposed them.
They recognized what was important.
Just like Jesus did when He not only died for us but acknowledged the woman.
That is our example.
So we stay focused no matter who is around and how much they give.
We focus:
On Him.
On His Word.
On His joy—even in chaos.
And like the woman... we remain generous -- even when only God recognizes the generosity.
“…that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
Stand firm.
And we will win life.
Jesus v. 19
Prayer Requests
Frances
Continued healing
Job accomodations
Sammantra
Waiting for Covid loans court decision
Continued healing of her son's ankle
Passing of uncle
Sandra
God's continued protection over her family as her and her husband teach small group
Taz
PhD acceptance from the school of best choice
Karen
Healing in knee
Joan
Jumping into new opportunities
Venus
Daughter to have a healthy marriage and baby
Renee
Prayer answered and returning to Georgia!
Workout!
Workout TIp!
Start somewhere!
Start with a 15 minute a day workout and work your way up.
Same with prayer. Start with praying at least one line of prayer when you get up and when you go to bed to get in the habit of acknowledging God as the day starts and ends.
A low impact GrowWIthJo workout!
No weights required
A great HiTT class from Juice and Toya!
No weights required
Trail Walk
Saturday
Date: TBA
Sandy Creek Park
Time: TBA
Potluck Tuesday was also a suggestion from last semester. Anyone interested in doing a Potluck once a month? Open to suggestions on an ideal day and time we can do this.
Health goals
Pray and think about the goals that God has for your life. He has many, but one of the areas we concentrate on in Walk and Talk is our health. How do you think God wants us to care for ourselves? What steps are we taking to be the best person we can be?
See you Tuesday!!
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