There is power in the story.

Jesus spoke into the Rabbinical tradition of teaching through the telling of challenging and difficult stories.

I heard an old Jewish story the other day that goes something like this…

A Rabbi stood with his son at the bottom of a set of high wooden stairs. Lifting him on to the first stair, the Rabbi urged his son to jump. It was not very high, and the boy trusted his father, so he jumped into his open arms.

Next the Rabbi placed his son on the second step. This was a little more scary, but still the boy trusted- so he jumped again- and landed safely in his father’s embrace.

And so it went on- each time climbing another step, then the jump, and the catch. “Well done my son” said the Rabbi.

Eventually, the son stood at a dizzying height, peering down at his father in trepidation. “Jump son, Jump” said the man. So, with shaking knees, he took to the air.

And his father watched the leap, and stood back.

The boy clawed himself to his feet, bleeding and crying.

“There, my son” said the Rabbi “That will teach you.”

What on earth is that all about then?

Something about the uncertainties of life, and the inevitability of suffering.

The failure of all authority figures, sooner or later.

And- most disturbingly of all- the unpredictability of God. The apparent injustice of God.

Or perhaps the deeper, mystery of God. God beyond the temporal. God the uncertain.

No tame God whose role is to grant our lifestyle wishes.

A God who calls us to leap- with no promise of featherbed landings.

But leap we must- sooner or later.