3May2009 Luke 13:31

³¹ At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”

Did you notice the word “some” in the verse? Not all the Pharisees wanted Jesus dead. Or perhaps they didn’t want Herod to kill Jesus because they wanted the pleasure themselves. It appears some of these religious leaders were listening to Jesus and liking what he was saying. Perhaps, some even had faith in Him. We read about a few of these after Jesus death and resurrection. They are trying to protect Jesus. This is not the normal picture of the religious leaders that we read in the Scriptures. So often they are painted as evil, backstabbing, self-seeking power-mongers. Sounds like the typical politician of today, doesn’t it! But this verse gives some hope. Not every leader is corrupt. There are some who keep their integrity despite the power they possess because of their position in society. There are even some lawyers who do the right thing! Just as there were some Pharisees who did the right thing during Jesus’ day, so there are some leaders who are in the right today. The problem is that it is only ‘some’ who keep their integrity, if they had it in the first place! The power-grabbing and spotlight seeking moves are not new. In Jesus day there were those who sought the best seats in the house so that they would be seen. They made public speeches under the guise of prayers so that they would be heard by people. But there are some…. Are you one of those ‘some’? Or do you compromise what you believe and become one of the many? It is hard to remain true when all those around you seem to be giving in. The crowd rarely does the right thing. Leaders left to their own ends will, just like us, become increasingly selfish. That is why getting to know the Lord and growing in that relationship with Him is so important. He wants to influence us and our decisions. Just like a very close trusted friend, He wants us to feel His pull on us and our decisions. He wants us to consider the impact of our decision on our relationship with Him. Our decisions are not made in a vacuum. The more we are connected to the Lord and to each other, the more our decisions will reflect that connection. And selflessness is about connection. To whom are you connected in such a way that they influence your decisions, both for good and for evil?