I was reading Luke 4 the other day and was struck by what a bad month and a half Jesus had around there. I mean, the Holy Spirit led him into a barren dessert to half-starve himself, then the devil taunted him, even telling him to jump off of the temple roof. While hungry enough to be seeing hallucinations of Little Debbie cakes, He had to engage in a theological debate. Things seemed to be getting better when everyone started listening to Him and admiring His words, but apparently He was just a bit too honest and made everyone so riled up that an angry mob all but tarred and feathered Him and then tried to throw Him off a cliff.
After escaping, He was verbally accosted by a demon, and then when He went to go hang out with His buddy Simon He found Simon’s mother-in-law sick with fever and had to heal her. No good deed goes unpunished, so then He was mobbed with more sick people and had to shut up more demons. He tried to get some peace and quiet, but people kept following Him around.
All that happened in ONE CHAPTER. And people say that the Bible is boring! But really, the point is how much danger and adversity and discomfort Jesus experienced…and how well He handled it. He didn’t whine or allow the demons to make Him miserable. He didn’t allow Himself to act badly because He was hungry or refuse to heal people because He was tired. But ultimately, when He was in danger He simply walked out.
Christians usually avoid any type of danger or opposition. It’s too scary and requires too much effort. Of course, I understand being prudent and not foolishly exposing yourself to something dangerous, but sometimes God sends us right into the middle of a really bad situation for whatever reason. I’m the first to admit that I am far too easily overwhelmed and intimidated. I just shut down. But God has been totally bringing it to my attention. I need to act stronger, to BE stronger- because I am. I have all of the help I need. I have a Savior and an army of angels waiting to help me. Why should I always quake in fear? I’m going to make it out in one piece! Even if I’m bruised and battered just a bit, I’ll get over it.
Danger isn’t always bad. If we look at things in perspective, what we think is dangerous may not be so at all.
