One of my dad’s favorite cartoons was Popeye. Popeye was always on some adventure along with his girlfriend Olive Oyl, his rival Bluto, and, of course, baby Swee’ Pea his adopted son who he called “kid”. The plot of most of the cartoons culminated with Popeye getting pulverized by Bluto or some other villain until finally, just when all hope seemed lost, he would reach into his shirt, pull out a can of spinach, eat it, and then go forth in that newfound strength to win the battle and save the day. That was fun to watch but something always bothered me about it. Wouldn’t Popeye have been better off if he had eaten a well-balanced diet every day, including the healthy doses of spinach? That way, he would have been well fortified and ready to face whatever crisis arose, rather than having to wolf down his spinach in the heat of the battle. In Luke the 12th chapter, Jesus spends a great deal of time teaching his followers by example and illustration the importance of being mentally prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. As he prepared them to operate in his absence he knew that readiness would be absolutely essential, and it still is for us today!
Jason
