Kept

Is the goal to be amazed?

I’ve been thinking lately about the difference between being amazed and being kept.

As I’ve been reading through the Gospels, I’ve noticed how often the crowds are described as being amazed by Jesus. They were amazed at His miracles. Amazed at His teaching. Amazed at His authority. The crowds were captivated by what Jesus could do.

A theme within the book of Mark is not to be like the crowd. He describes them as being amazed, but they are also fickle. The truth is, when we choose to follow what is amazing, we won’t follow the same thing for long.

Nothing shows this more than how fast trends move today. The item everyone thinks is amazing will be tomorrow’s Goodwill donation.

It makes me wonder how much of modern church culture is built around trying to amaze people. Even as church attenders, we often shop for churches the way we shop for gym memberships. We want the best amenities, the best experience, the best atmosphere, and the greatest value for the least cost. We are conditioned to ask, “What can this do for me?” When something measures up as being “amazing,” we go all in. That is, until we aren’t amazed anymore.

Yet when I think about Mary, Luke tells us that she “kept all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19).

Kept.

What a different posture.

"She laid up all these things in her heart, not merely hearing them, but preserving them carefully." St. John Chrysostom

To keep is not to chase the spectacular. It is a slow, tender contemplation. It is paying attention to what others overlook. It is holding something close enough that it can continue shaping you long after the moment has passed.

As I continued reading the Gospels, I realized that while the crowds were amazed, the disciples were kept. John repeatedly tells us that many of Jesus’ words did not make sense to them in the moment. Only later, after His death and resurrection, did they understand. Why? Because they stayed with Him. They carried His words. They held onto His teachings until understanding finally caught up with obedience.

In a culture that constantly demands something bigger, louder, newer, and more impressive, maybe what we need isn’t another amazing moment.

Maybe we need to be kept.

Recently, I attended a church service that was one of the most ordinary services I’ve experienced in decades. There was no music. No speaker. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. You could hear people shifting in their chairs. Silence. Zero vibes.

Nothing about it was amazing.

And yet, in that stillness, I encountered Jesus.

I settled into something deeper than amazement.

I settled into being kept. In that moment, I realized- You don’t have to dress Jesus up. He is beautiful all by Himself.

Amazement happens in a moment, but being kept happens over time.

Amazement seeks the next experience. Being kept is how our hearts learn to treasure what God has already spoken.

Amazement is often loud, but being kept is usually quiet. Being kept isn’t convenient, and it isn’t flashy, but it is the very thing our souls are longing for. Perhaps our, or should I say- my, restlessness is that I keep pursuing amazing instead of being kept.

Lately, I’ve been trying to slow down long enough to be kept.

Because while amazement may capture my attention, it is being kept that forms my soul. I don’t want to be like the crowd. I want to be like Mary.