It's not easy to listen to Jesus tell us who we are and what we are to be in the world. At least one person listening to his sermon does not want to hear Jesus use a metaphor to describe and define what it is like to be one of his disciples.

We are tired of being defined and told what our purpose and function in life should be. Someone is always giving us a description of what our life should be like or look like.

As children, we were told to be little ladies and gentlemen. As adults, the culture in which we live tells us to work hard because only the fittest survive. It tells us get all we can because happiness consists of limitless material acquisition. Consume because consumption is inherently good. Become rich because property, power, and wealth are more important than people. Be pro…