Wonderful Things
Read Matthew 21:12-17.
Some people just can't stand wonderful things happening. Some folks just can't seem to be happy for someone else. There's this green-eyed monster that gets in the way of us being able to see that great things are going on and that we should be happy. But sometimes, we can't be happy for the other person because we're so busy being unhappy for ourselves, that such wonderful things aren't happening to and through us.
Does that ever happen to you? Does jealousy ever get the best of you?
It happens as we compare our salary and lifestyle to that of our neighbors. Why are good things happening to him and not to me? It happens to pastors as we compare the size of our churches to the size of "that other church." Churches compare ministries and think (or even outright say), "Well, we could do that better." I once worked for a guy whose only way, apparently, to feel good about himself was to tear down everyone else who worked for him, or to claim responsibility for what someone else had done. I didn't work there long. Jealousy is miserable to live with and ugly to see in ourselves.
In the reading from Matthew's Gospel, we're told that there are "wonderful things" happening in and around the Temple when Jesus is there. Is that meant as a contrast to the "normal things" that usually happened there? Certainly those who were in charge in that place must have felt that way. Jesus wasn't doing things "according to procedure." Children were running and shouting and singing. People were smiling and listening to Jesus. And worst of all, the marketplace that was usually there had been cleared out by this man who was now doing "wonderful things." And the chief priests simply will not have it.
They try the diplomatic approach. (By the end of the week, their approach will be anything but diplomatic as they have him nailed to a tree.) "Jesus, these children are making an awful ruckus," they say. The implication: this simply will not do. This is a place of worship; we can't have children here messing things up! They expect Jesus to agree with them, to turn to the children and say, "Now, settle down, can't you see you're upsetting these fine men?" But Jesus doesn't do that. He does so much worse as he quotes Scripture affirming not only the children's presence but their praise. He seems to leave the chief priests speechless, though he does give them the first piece of evidence against him for what they do later in the week.
Jesus is doing wonderful things and the chief priests aren't happy. Maybe because it's Jesus. Maybe because the people are paying attention to his wonderful things rather than to what they are doing. Maybe because they wish they could function like Jesus does. Whatever the reason—jealousy is in the air. Wonderful things simply can't be allowed.
Except that Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor, always does wonderful things. When we exclude those from our lives, from our homes, from our churches—what do we have left? Just our jealousy and that isn't pretty. Can we set that aside for this Advent season and simply revel in the wonderful things Jesus wants to do in, through AND around us?
Some people just can't stand wonderful things happening. Some folks just can't seem to be happy for someone else. There's this green-eyed monster that gets in the way of us being able to see that great things are going on and that we should be happy. But sometimes, we can't be happy for the other person because we're so busy being unhappy for ourselves, that such wonderful things aren't happening to and through us.
Does that ever happen to you? Does jealousy ever get the best of you?
It happens as we compare our salary and lifestyle to that of our neighbors. Why are good things happening to him and not to me? It happens to pastors as we compare the size of our churches to the size of "that other church." Churches compare ministries and think (or even outright say), "Well, we could do that better." I once worked for a guy whose only way, apparently, to feel good about himself was to tear down everyone else who worked for him, or to claim responsibility for what someone else had done. I didn't work there long. Jealousy is miserable to live with and ugly to see in ourselves.
In the reading from Matthew's Gospel, we're told that there are "wonderful things" happening in and around the Temple when Jesus is there. Is that meant as a contrast to the "normal things" that usually happened there? Certainly those who were in charge in that place must have felt that way. Jesus wasn't doing things "according to procedure." Children were running and shouting and singing. People were smiling and listening to Jesus. And worst of all, the marketplace that was usually there had been cleared out by this man who was now doing "wonderful things." And the chief priests simply will not have it.
They try the diplomatic approach. (By the end of the week, their approach will be anything but diplomatic as they have him nailed to a tree.) "Jesus, these children are making an awful ruckus," they say. The implication: this simply will not do. This is a place of worship; we can't have children here messing things up! They expect Jesus to agree with them, to turn to the children and say, "Now, settle down, can't you see you're upsetting these fine men?" But Jesus doesn't do that. He does so much worse as he quotes Scripture affirming not only the children's presence but their praise. He seems to leave the chief priests speechless, though he does give them the first piece of evidence against him for what they do later in the week.
Jesus is doing wonderful things and the chief priests aren't happy. Maybe because it's Jesus. Maybe because the people are paying attention to his wonderful things rather than to what they are doing. Maybe because they wish they could function like Jesus does. Whatever the reason—jealousy is in the air. Wonderful things simply can't be allowed.
Except that Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor, always does wonderful things. When we exclude those from our lives, from our homes, from our churches—what do we have left? Just our jealousy and that isn't pretty. Can we set that aside for this Advent season and simply revel in the wonderful things Jesus wants to do in, through AND around us?
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