Daily Reflections ...

There are times when waiting to see what happens may be appropriate, particularly if the waiting causes no one any harm and if we are using the delay to examine our hearts to decide the best thing to do. The question arises: when is waiting the wise choice, and when is it something we do to avoid responsibility? Apply this to your own life for a moment. What are you putting off, and why are you putting it off?

Then there is the scenario that finds us happy to act, but only if people do not know what we are doing or why we are doing it. This is the situation we see in today’s gospel text. The religious leaders of the day are making decisions about what to do with Jesus; however, they are making those decisions behind closed doors. Secure behind their well-constructed walls, their certainty about what to do is revealed as hollow as their lack of transparency weakens their leadership. Apply this to your own life for a moment. What have you decided to do about a difficult situation in your life while hoping people do not discover what you are doing? Why don’t you want them to know?

Acting in situations that have the potential to leave us vulnerable to harsh treatment, accusation or ridicule can be one of the hardest things for a person to do. It is also a pre-eminent test of character. What in your life requires your attention even though acting on it will leave you exposed?

by Shane Dwyer