The moment they saw him, they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about “worship,” about risking themselves totally.  Matt 28:17 (The Message)

This is in the last few paragraphs of the book of Matthew. The women have gone to the tomb and met the angel who told them to let everyone know that they were to meet with Jesus in Galilee. All the disciples head off toward this meeting, but an interesting thing happens when they see Jesus again. Some of the disciples immediately worship him – but some have to think about it first.

There’s something about the word “worship” that can scare some people. We hear so much about the dangers of “putting other gods before [God].” According to Bing.com’s definition of “Worship,” the word originated from an Old English word meaning “to give worth to.” Different definitions according to the Merriam-Webster.com dictionary, include “extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem.”

We can worship things other than people. I can come really close to worshiping a well-grilled steak or a well-turned phrase in a book. Some people can have worshipful attitudes toward lists or traditions. I think that the idea of “worship” involving a risk doesn’t enter our minds very much – unless it’s a risk of gaining weight or irritating someone.

The idea of “worship” is different for different people depending on our past experiences and where we are in life. To some people, worshiping God is giving our life to him and trusting that he will use our lives to benefit others. To some, worshiping God is recognizing his existence, thanking him for the good things in our lives and asking for his help when we’re in trouble.

It isn’t a bad thing to think about our relationship with God. We can decide how we would define our relationship with him. I have a problem with the word “surrender.” It implies an unthinking devotion that I have difficulty with. I decided that the word I would feel more comfortable with is “acquiesce.” To acquiesce is to comply or accept. If God wants me to do something, I think it needs to be done, and I’ll comply or accept his leading. I can’t promise, however, to do so quietly. I have a need to talk things over with him – just to make sure that this is the direction he really wants me to take.

The thing that I really like about this passage is the last paragraph: “Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge... ‘Go out and train everyone you meet... I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” Jesus knew his people and he knew they would do their best to follow his instructions. We do the same thing now.  While words can trip us up sometimes, our actions speak louder. If we do the best we can and trust that he will make it right, isn’t that the foundation of worship?

Becky Gillette is a former teacher, newspaper reporter, and preacher who seeks to take an original approach to life’s lessons. She is the author of “Jessie’s Corner: Something to Think About,” a collection of articles which she wrote for a weekly newspaper.