His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5).

I love a good Hollywood blockbuster. The kind of movie that’s heavy on the action, and light on the acting.  A movie where the special effects and explosions take center stage.  I especially enjoy when the camera zooms in for close-up of the heroes and they utter a witty one-liner as they face certain doom.  

Chapter 2 of John is deep with substance, but light on over-the-top action.  What if this was a Hollywood movie?  Just imagine…

The entire wedding is in a panic! The end is near, the wine is gone.  Mary, in her hour of desperation pleads with Jesus to do something.  The crowd hushes as Jesus extends his arms and commands in a booming voice for all the water to be put in front of him.  Beams of light erupt from the sky, the water explodes out of the jars, and then cascades down on the crowd as a shower of wine.  Everyone celebrates the miracle, while the camera zooms in for a close-up of Jesus.  Jesus looks directly into the camera, thumbs point towards himself and yells, “Boom! Jesus saves!” 

It sounds ridiculous, so it would probably win an Academy Award.  But we should ask ourselves if we’re also waiting for a “Boom! Jesus!” moment in our lives? 

When we read what John really wrote, we should appreciate the subtlety.  Mary asks Jesus to get involved, and quietly tells the servants to do whatever he says.  Jesus gives the servants simple instructions, and without a single visible sign, the miracle is done.  And he doesn’t just do the minimum.  He provides not only an overabundance of wine, but an overabundance of the best wine.   

“Do what he tells you” maybe five of the most important words spoken in the Bible.  In our own lives, are we taking the subtle actions, a small shift, or tiny adjustment that Jesus is telling us to take?  Or are we waiting for that big “Boom! Jesus!” moment to come at us, like some Hollywood blockbuster?  

What are the small shifts you can make to better “Do what he tells you”? Is it showing up to Church every Sunday? Moving sitting closer to the front of the service? Making a small group a weekly priority? As you reflect on a new year, remember that small shifts in behavior can have miraculous outcomes.