In Mark 12 and 13 Jesus undergoes a barrage of questions from the crowds and religious leaders – seeking to catch Him in wrongful proclamations. Those who would question Jesus’ message simultaneously plot to kill him – how ironic. Seeking to offer a false friendship and pseudo support they begin praising Him.
“Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, becasue you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.” – Mark 12:14
What a wonderful praise – even though it was laced with venom! In a society that was built upon the social status and segregated to support and uphold the rich and relegate the poor to a state of meaninglessness, Jesus pierces the social castes with a message of social equality. Jesus “paid no attention” to who they were. How often do we draw near to the popular, the rich, the influential? How often do we insist on our very own social status, fearing that we will be defined by the company we keep?
Our integrity should be connected towards our passion to reach ALL people – not just those that would serve our needs. God died for the most and least talented, the ugly and the beautiful, the healthy and the sick, the intelligent and the simple, the tall and the short, the thick and the thin, the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the flawed and the even more flawed.
Jesus did not have your ‘status’ in mind when he died for you. He was motivated by your soul. He sought to reconnect your soul to God’s Spirit. May the driving motivation behind our actions be the same – that we would be “Christ’s ambassadors – as though God were making His appeal through us” (2 Cor. 5:20) – reconciling others to Him.
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