Why I’m Going on the World Race, Part I: A Need to Share

¹⁷ Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me,

for I have not yet ascended to My Father;

but go to My brethren and say to them, 

‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father,

And to My God and your God.’”

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples

 that she had seen the Lord, and that 

He had spoken these things to her (John 20: 17-18 nkjv).

These verses confused me a lot for a long time. They always stood out to me, because the story around them is so beautiful. Jesus had been dead three days, and Mary Magdalene and others came to His tomb only to find His body stolen. Mary stayed and wept after the other women had gone. She was so busy weeping that she didn’t recognize Jesus behind her until He called her name. She ran and fell into His arms, amazed that He was alive. Her teacher, her Savior, her friend. Her hope wasn’t lost. It was such a beautiful moment. And then Jesus says this. I thought it felt off, because I’m used to Jesus being so loving and patient and kind both in the Bible and in my own life. So, on first glance, His response feels a little… cold? Weird? Confusing? Jesus did and said things that confused people then and still confuses people now. This applies to my own life as well.

College was an amazing, yet confusing and weird time. Relationships that I depended on dissolved. Assumptions that I had grown up with were challenged. For the first time, I came to know and be friends with people who held wildly different beliefs spiritually and politically. And it was beautiful. Whether they believed in God or not, to me, their kindness and empathy reflected Him already. I majored in English and Global Studies, and I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Cork, Ireland. In Ireland, I met more people who challenged my assumptions and who held a variety of beliefs among different Christian denominations. I began to ask God a lot of questions, and I found Him more than willing to hold these questions and wrestle through them with me.  

Even the little questions like, why did Jesus tell Mary Magdalene not to cling to Him after He rose from the dead? So many other places in Scripture Jesus is kind and loving and patient, so why not now? After some wrestling and praying this is the best I’ve got: He still was. He let her hug Him and hugged her back. But God is a big God, and the relationship between Mary and Jesus—between her and her Savior—was too beautiful to only be known by her. She had to tell the others. Her Savior is alive! She had to share.

I think it’s time that I share Him, too. I grew quiet for a while after college. Listening is important. I want to understand and respect and value the opinions and convictions of others. There is so much that I want to learn, and it’s learned through listening and empathy. But there is also something to be gained by being bold and sharing. I can and should—and will!—keep running to Jesus’ arms and presence before all else. But there comes a time when it can’t just be about me and Him.

We have an eternity that we can spend in Jesus’ arms and His presence in heaven. In the meantime, it can’t just be about us. We have to tell others, and give them the chance to experience life changing relationship with Jesus as well. Because Jesus changes everything. So that’s at least one of the reasons why I’m going on the world race: I want to talk to people about Jesus. It seems simple, but at the same time, He is my most tightly held belief and closest relationship. I want to share all He has done in my life, see what He has done in other’s lives, and be a part of introducing Him to even more people. It’s gonna be a wild adventure, and I can’t wait to go on it with Him.