If You Do Right Only When It's Popular...

The past two times that I've read the account of the crucification, I've sympathized most with Pilate. Maybe sympathized isn't quite the word, but I understood where he's coming from and felt most strongly for him (this is among the people involved other than Jesus).

He was in the thick of the most wrong yet beautiful situation in the world. He was a skeptic ("What is truth?") and he was a people pleaser. He was in a position of authority and actually made the decision that sent the only perfect person to the worst punishment and death imaginable. He did it because the crowd was yelling and were threatening his position of authority.

I try to imagine living after that, knowing what I had done. After it was all over, he probably wished he had just let them displace him, wished he could've lived in poverty and shame rather than relive the event.

Don't get me wrong - his decision was in God's perfect plan - it was the catalyst of the terrible and glorious climax of our redemption story. But when I have to make decisions, I should think about why I'm making them.

Am I making them to please people in my life? Am I making decisions that make me look better? Am I trying to protect myself? None of those should be my criteria. I should ask.

Does this decision show that Jesus is my treasure and ultimate joy?

It's not always clear-cut (GO LEFT!) but if my heart is in the right place and I'm relying on God's word and the authorities in my life, I'm in a better place than trying to protect my own self-interest.

For me, this quote sums up Pilate.

If you do right only when it's popular, you will do much wrong.

____________________

I'm trying to make job decisions. I feel like everyone needs me. I think that's better than no one wanting me, but still it's stressful!

I went running this morning and half-way through, the on-again, off-again rain started in earnest. The rest of my run was a glorious splosh. ^_^

Well, eat more yogurt. And a tad less peanut butter. That's all I can say. Oh and I'm going to make a sidebar of my favorite posts. If you have a favorite post, comment and let me know! I love comments.

R<3

Listening to Bradley Hathaway - I Am A Manly Man