TEXT FOR REFLECTION
Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
JOHN 2:23-25
REFLECT
So here is the ultimate irony! And many of us knew about it, yet most of us stake our lives on the irony: humanity is not trust-worthy; Jesus would not entrust Himself to any of us! Yet we are bitterly shocked and disappointed when we discover this reality about each other.
The apostle John, the writer of this gospel made an astute observation: Jesus did not entrust himself to anyone because he knew what people were like. Many had come to believe Jesus after seeing the miracles that he performed. I am sure they sincerely did believe. I am sure some might even have sworn they would give their lives up for Him. I am sure many found that their lives were no longer the same again. But Jesus discerned that not one of them could be trusted. That’s how much faith He has in humanity!
Knowing this truth about humans, it is puzzling why we place so much of our self-worth on public adulation and popularity. We seek safety in numbers. We think the world of ourselves when the majority stands with us. We strive hard to get people to be on our side. And when we have gathered a large majority, we foolishly believe that the one with the most supporters cannot be wrong. History, both global as well as personal histories, have proven how far off the mark this is. In his heyday, Jesus was so popular that his popularity threatened both the religious leaders as well as the Roman rulers. They were afraid that he would incite a mass uprising. Yet when he was captured, tortured and executed, only John stood at the cross with his mother; a godly man offered his tomb to be used to hold Jesus’ body; and a few women visited his grave. In street parlance, Jesus had moved from hero to zero.
RELATE
An even greater mystery is why God would entrust His Kingdom to proven failures. Jesus knew Peter would fail him. He knew how flaky Peter was. Yet he told Peter even before he had denied his Master, to encourage his brothers when he was finally restored. And restore Peter, Jesus did. In a big way. Three times he told Peter to feed and tend to the people Jesus would entrust to him after he returned to heaven. A proven coward with an obvious character flaw chosen to spearhead God’s most ambitious endeavour – to make disciples of all nations, many of which were hostile to the Gospel! Tactically, that was a dumb move. Yet God is too wise to make dumb moves. Knowing that all of humanity is untrustworthy, God chose to place His Spirit in the most flaky of persons to show what He can do for those who are willing. “ But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:27-29.
The Kingdom of God is a Kingdom of ironies. Knowing that even the best among us cannot be trusted, God has chosen the worst among us to transform, and to pour His Holy Spirit into, that we may be His New Creation. I don’t understand the logic of this, but I am so thankful it is so.
REST
I stand amazed in the presence
of Jesus the Nazarene,
and wonder how he could love me,
a sinner, condemned, unclean.
He took my sins and my sorrows,
he made them his very own;
he bore the burden to Calvary,
and suffered and died alone.
When with the ransomed in glory
his face I at last shall see,
'twill be my joy through the ages
to sing of his love for me.
How marvelous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous! How wonderful
is my Savior's love for me!
My Savior’s Love by Charles Gabriel 1905
Chiu Ming Li
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