temptation: miracles

Then the Devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say,
`He orders his angels to protect you.
And they will hold you with their hands
to keep you from striking your foot on a stone.’ “

Sometimes we’re hungry for more than bread. Sometimes we long for the Spectacular.

Some people are into these big action shows like 24. In shows like this a secret agent or cop is usually completely outgunned by the powerful and the unjust. But in the end the hero is able to overcome terrible circumstances and defeat the forces of evil. Now, I guess there is nothing wrong with these shows but after watching them, I look around my small living room and my small front yard and my small life and I wonder if I’m doing any good.

Confession time: I have never killed anybody. I’ve never grabbed a bad guy and bent his fingers back until he told me vital information. If I watch enough 24, I get the distinct feeling that I am doing very little to save the world. It would be very easy for me to wish that I was doing something more spectacular, something more amazing. I wish I was Jack Bauer.

The Tempter brought Jesus to the highest point of the temple and he gave him an opportunity to do something amazing, something spectacular. Jesus was the man who did not have a place to lay his head. He was the hopeless leader of a vagabond band and an impoverished carpenter. I know it sounds blasphemous, but I wonder how many times Jesus wondered about his deity. Remember, Jesus was not simply beamed down to earth like an alien invader. Jesus was incubated, born and grown as a human - just like the rest of us. It is also important to note that the Tempters major strategy was to challenge Jesus to prove his divinity. Did he wonder? I do.

Our place in the world seems small and the Tempter can make us wonder. He can make us second guess our place in this world. But, the revelation is more important than the spectacular. It is more important that we are sensitive to his will than impressed with our place in it. We should trust him more than be amazed by what he can do.

At my church I work with about forty teenagers. It seems like I am the one guy in the world who is not working in Africa. It seems like I’m the one guy not working with AIDS patients or lobbying for justice. I don’t write spiritual books or Jesus songs. I have never defined my ministry by my ability to jump from the Temples highest precipice, but I have been tempted to.

I was thinking about this yesterday. We gathered 8 or 9 middle-schoolers for a pool party. Angels did not sing. The world’s leaders did not stand in awe. Then I thought, even if the angels did sing and the leaders were impressed, these kids wouldn’t have noticed and there’s just something cool about that. So I jumped in and did my best to dunk every one of their heads under the water.

It was no big deal - just hanging out with kids. I don’t think the devil even noticed, but I’m pretty sure Jesus did.