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PROGRAM D-7332
I don’t know about you, but I sometimes react too quickly and find that my reactions are not appropriate. But when I can learn to take my time and respond rather than react, I’m much more likely to handle situations the way Jesus would handle them.
One of my favorite stories about Jesus is the time when they asked him to prove by what authority he was doing his miracles. In Mark 11 the chief priests and teachers of the law asked him: “Who gave you authority to do this?”
Now, consider what a reaction would have been. Jesus could have torn them apart piece by piece with words, had he so chosen. How dare they question his authority? Who were they to demand such from the Son of God? Everything Jesus did was to help people, to deliver them from sin and sickness, and they would be so arrogant as to ask where he got his authority! He could have argued with them. He could have waged a war with angry and indignant words.
But notice how Jesus responds: “I will ask you one question,” he said. “Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men’….” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)
So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
Isn’t that an incredible response! Don’t you love it! Jesus refused to be pulled into playing their petty games, he did not allow them to bring him down to their level, and in a thoughtful response to their stupid accusation, he pinned them against the wall, but in such a way that they couldn’t even argue with him. Masterful, wouldn’t you agree?
Of course, the neat thing is that when we’re born from above, we have the same power within us to respond appropriately as Jesus did, because we have his Holy Spirit indwelling us. The difference is we also have our old human natures tending to make us react the old way.