Today’s scripture: Matthew 26:57-68 (NRSV) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Theresa Benson):
I was watching a new police series with a friend the other night. He’s not much for cop dramas, but I can’t get enough of them. I love a good whodunit.
A quarter of the way in to the premiere episode, in the middle of some crazy knock-down drag-out fight with the bad guys, when it seemed like there was no way out for the main character, he made me pause it, turned to me, and said, “Now she’s the main actress in this series, right? So she can’t die, right?” He was so stressed out about the situation, he wanted us to switch over to America’s Funniest Home Videos for a while to ease the tension.
I reassured him that yes, she’s the main actress, this show is her “vehicle” in Hollywood-speak, and with a big smile, he said, “OK, never mind. We can keep watching. Nothing’s really going to happen to her, then. I’m fine now.”
Imagine if he’d been watching the scene that unfolded in today’s reading, instead.
Here we have Caiaphas, head of the Sanhedrin and the highest Jewish authority in the land, who was appointed to that position by the Romans. He wasn’t elected or chosen by the Jewish people to be their High Priest; he hadn’t worked his way up by his exceptionally ethical, moral, and wise interpretation of Jewish law. The previous Roman governor had made him High Priest, and so you can bet he wants to keep on the good side of this new guy, Pilate, so he can keep his job and all the power and perks that come with it.
Then you’ve got Jesus. The Romans are getting nervous because they can’t afford a political uprising that might threaten their authority. Jesus knows the score. He knows the position Caiaphas is in, and his motives. And as he stands there for goodness knows how long, person after person saying nothing but lies about him, he waits. He lets the words fly like bullets around him, and waits. He doesn’t struggle; he doesn’t run. He doesn’t even roll his eyes or yell back at his accusers. Finally, Caiaphas’s guys find two people who can sucker punch him with an accusation that sticks — the action flick equivalent of the bad guys having the good guy on the ledge of a building, and the music is at a fever pitch.
Jesus is the “lead” in this story, so he’ll get out of this one unscathed, right? This is the part where his partner comes in and rescues him at the last minute, or where the bad guy slips and falls off the ledge instead, or something. . . right?
But he’s quiet. And there’s no trusty sidekick, no errant banana peel, no comic relief.
And it isn’t until Caiaphas insists he respond in the name of his Father, that he speaks. How long do you suppose this all took? Hours? How humiliating and frustrating must that have been, to see everything that he’d worked for starting to crumble?
Yet he answers simply but honestly, knowing full well he’s signing his own death warrant. He knows that what he’s saying will be twisted by his accusers to get what they want — him gone, his followers disbanded, and the Romans off their backs.
But he doesn’t waver from his message. He doesn’t deny his Truth.
He had his moment of doubt in the Garden. He came away from that knowing that the only right next step was to do God’s will, no matter how painful the consequences. It wasn’t about him. It never was, really. It was about Truth. It was about integrity. And it was about doing God’s will no matter what.
Cop dramas are only about 44 minutes long. That means the story arc is pretty short, so if by the first commercial our heroine is in trouble, we know by the time we’re coming out of the last commercial that she’ll be just fine and the bad guys will be in jail.
But Jesus’ story — our story — is so much richer than what can be contained between four ad breaks in prime time. It’s a reminder about how hard it can be to do the right thing, to live with integrity.
It’s not natural to feel like the bad guys are going to win, and to still do what’s right. Usually, that’s about the time I start railing against God, wondering why I hurt so much if this is the right thing to do, or why this person is “getting away with” being such a jerk when clearly they’re the bad guy. I’ll want to negotiate a better deal, or find myself slipping into the oblivion of anger and hurt, and I start to fight back like a jilted lover on a Jerry Springer episode. . . but I certainly don’t remain calm and focus on God’s plan in those kinds of situations.
But that’s what we’ve got to do.
It’s OK to have our moments of doubt. Bring those to God in the quietness of your day, when you know you can better hear what God’s plan is for you. But when the “bullets” are flying, and the words of someone in your life are cutting you to the quick, that’s not the time to question God’s will. That’s the time to dig in, get calm, and stick to the plan. And after you’ve done all that, whether you say it out loud or just keep it crystal clear in your mind’s eye, focus on God’s will for you and the right next step. That’s all you need to get you through this situation — any situation.
We’re the hero / heroines in our own drama. A lot is still to happen between now and the “last commercial break.” Get close to God in the quiet moments, ask your questions, really listen for the answers, and stay steadfast in God’s plan.
Thought for the day: Where in my life are the bullets flying? Look to Jesus’ example to stay calm and focused.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.