The ministry of
Jesus is fraught with dangers from the very beginning. Over the course of his three-year mission he
would face accusations, threats, lies, assassination attempts, and finally the
injustice of an unmerited death sentence and ultimate martyrdom. But there are also dangers that are subtle
yet just as destructive to the task that lay before him.
Although the Bible
says that Jesus' physical appearance was not the basis of his attraction
(Isaiah 53:2) he becomes nonetheless a person with the ability to draw people
to himself. Over time thousands will
flock to listen to him speak. Multitudes
will line up from dawn until dusk to be healed and comforted by this special
itinerant preacher. His name will be
spoken by people from all levels of the Palestinian social stratum and his
popularity would soar to incredible heights.
Today's passage leads me to believe that Jesus was both aware and on
guard against the temptation to bask in the glow of human acclaim.
The gain of
popularity is not the purpose of his mission.
He did not come to become king or leader of an earthly kingdom. He came to seek and save; all that he says
and does grows out of that desire to rescue the human race from doom. He knows there is danger in buying into the
lure of human acclaim and praise. This
reality cannot be lost on me today.
First of all, human praise and flattery is fickle and fleeting. It can never be the basis of any lasting
venture. Secondly, emotion can turn just
as suddenly as it starts and can become destructive, as was the case at the end
of Jesus' ministry. The praise and
approval I seek comes from above. Only
the words of my Heavenly Father, "well done, good and faithful
servant" (Matthew 25:21 NIV) will satisfy and endure. I must beware of the trap of seeking and
finding security in fame and flattery.
It is most certainly fool's gold! Any good that comes about as a result of my
ministry is totally a God thing. Any
glitch and disaster is totally my doing.
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