Because Jesus was standing on truth, he was able to confidently withhold his answer until the right moment in order to make a difference.
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Scripture
Mark 11:31-33
“And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say ‘from heaven’, he will say ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But shall we say ‘from man’?–they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet. So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Observation
The Pharisees refused to give an honest answer out of fear. Their turmoil in answering was that they couldn’t figure out ‘what’ answer to give–and the truth didn’t even matter to them. Jesus only had one answer (the truth), yet he refused to let them coerce him into answering at all. Their dishonest reply was, “We don’t know”, and His confident statement was “I choose not to say”. Their reply was based on lies, fear, and weakness. His response was grounded in strength, truth, and wisdom.
Application
Our society enjoys freedom of speech, and yet there is a growing mindset of ‘compelling’ people to speak. For every hot topic and issue, there are those eagerly waiting to stir the pot and try to force everyone to pick a side, take a stand, and make a statement.
Truth matters, and taking a stand matters. But because Jesus was 100% standing on truth, he was able to confidently withhold his answer until the right moment.
I must pray daily for that kind of wisdom! Not just giving answers and making statements for self-gratification or out of obligation, but patiently waiting for the ‘right’ moment to make a difference.
This week, I need to be bold enough to give an unpopular answer, but courageous enough to also withhold the right answer when the moment is wrong.
Prayer
God, thank you for your truth upon which I may confidently stand! Give me wisdom to know when to speak, and when to stay silent–so that you would be glorified, and hearts would be transformed!
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