THE WORD IN LENT - 2nd week, Wednesday
March 11, 2020: Jeremiah 18: 18-20; Matthew 20: 17-28
Point for Dialogue #12: God's will or Hidden Agenda
We are presented with two worldviews today - Jesus and Jeremiah representing one of the them, the people, the disciples and most of us (hopefully it is not all of us) today representing the other! The first is a worldview that comes from being connected to God; the other comes from using even God for our motives. The former is the logic of God's plan, while the latter is a logic of my hidden agenda! The first liberates, the other enslaves!
Look at Jeremiah, being plotted against. They were planning to get rid of him, not because he was evil, but because he was good, he was too good, he was putting them into discomfort always bringing in the point of view of God. And Jesus was condemned, as we know well, for having spoken what the One who sent him wanted him to. They were out to do God's will and they had to face the consequences.
Look at the other party involved... the people who wanted to get rid of Jeremiah, the people who condemned Jesus, the disciples who utterly failed to understand the real teachings of their Master and Lord... they were preoccupied with their plans in mind: getting rid of the disturbing prophet, getting rid of the prophetic Messiah, making use of their closeness to the Master to get positions of power, climbing the ladder and securing their career!
The contrast that is shown here in the Word, challenges us to enter into a sincere dialogue between our call and claim to do God's Will and our agenda to win our own ends with the hidden agenda we have. At times this agenda is so crooked, that it tends to even "use" God, for our own advantages. See those who are trying to make a living in the name of God, who try to make their career in the name of God, who try to dominate and overpower others in the name of God.
Whether we are out to serve or enjoy being served...that depends on whether we wish to do what God wants or we are intent on achieving our own ends. God's will or Hidden Agenda...which is my choice today?