This week’s article for the Border Watch, our local paper, has been given the title ‘Roads Untravelled’, which is pretty good.
Those of you who know Melbourne probably are aware that Collins Street is a prestige address for businesses. Addresses on other streets that cross over Collins Street, like Russell Street, may only be a few meters away from that prime location, but are far behind in status.
On a recent visit to the city I saw how one business that has recently constructed a new office tower on Russell Street has gotten around this issue. In addition to leasing the land on Russell Street for their building, they also leased a laneway across to Collins Street. Why lease a tract of land fifty meters long and five meters wide in the most expensive part of Melbourne when you already have street frontage on another street? Because the laneway means that the new building now claims an all-important Collins Street address. That address equals significance. The laneway equals an expensive short cut to status.
When he was in the wilderness Jesus was tempted by the devil three times. The final temptation was that if Jesus would receive the kingdoms of this world and their glory if he fell down and worshipped the devil. It was the ultimate short cut to status.
There are times when we’re confronted with choices about attaining power, status and importance. Short cuts like violence, whether physical or emotional; or talking others down through criticism, gossip or lies; or building ourselves up by exaggerating our achievements or refusing to recognise the contributions of others present themselves. Maybe you’ve given in to those short cuts. More than likely you’ve been the victim of others as they’ve taken those short cuts at your expense.
Those short cuts speak of a distance between God and humanity. The suffering and distance in relationships they cause in those who exercise them and those who are subject to them speak of an eternal justice that will be satisfied.
Jesus rejected the devil’s offer, affirming that he would worship and serve God alone.
He rejected the notion that there was a short cut in his life’s mission, which was to seek and save the lost. The full path in that mission would lead to a cross.
Jesus followed that full path of perfect obedience and proved himself worthy to accept the judgment of eternal justice that others deserved and triumph over it with life.
And so it proved to be. He is risen indeed!
The Bible tells us that God exalts the Lord Jesus. Christians are called to trust in that which Jesus has done on our behalf, and then reflect his life in theirs.
We try to treat others as those we want to build up instead of seeing them as stepping-stones for our ambitions. When others use us as short cuts to their personal glories we seek to forgive them.
Short cuts are tempting. But only the long path that Jesus took on our behalf leads to eternal peace.
mgpcpastor's blog 