Turf or Truth

Following the death of Lazarus, Jesus performed a miracle, restoring the physical life of his friend. What ensued after the miracle is a sad testimony to the desire of mankind to protect the familiar, comfortable turf we feel belongs to us.

John 11:45-48 (New English Translation) “Then many of the people, who had come with Mary and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and reported to them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees called the council together and said, ‘What are we doing? For this man is performing many miraculous signs. If we allow him to go on in this way, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our sanctuary and our nation.’”

The physical temple in Jerusalem and the nation (organization) to which the Jewish leaders belonged were priority turf to certain members of the Jewish leadership. The words and miraculous deeds of Jesus were viewed as a threat rather than as the ultimate truth.

For the Jews of Jesus day, their spiritual scotoma (blind or dark spot in the visual field) related to religious practices. Failure to follow truth led to spiritual loss and within a few years the loss of their temple and their nation – the loss of both turf and truth.

What turf am I trying to protect? How can my blinders be removed? Could it be that proper placement of priorities on pursuit of God’s will instead of my own is the answer?

Jesus said in Matthew 6:25, 31-34: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? … So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.”