February 14, 2013       Daniel Daring       Daniel's previous reflections

         First Sunday of Lent:  A lesson from the desert         
                 Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13  

They call it the adverbial subordinator which is used to create a conditional sentence. All languages have it. We use it while offering  advice, apologizing or giving instruction. In English, it is a two letter word: if. “If I can be of help, please let me know;” “If I made you angry, I’m very sorry;” or “if you do not love your friends, the more you are unable to love your enemies.” There is a clear implication of a condition in order for the result to take place. Only when the condition is fulfilled – ‘I made you angry,’ – then the second part of the sentence becomes true – ‘I’m very sorry.’ (Try this in your own language)

This adverbial subordinator is used in a masterly way by the Slanderer in his attack on Jesus’ identity - “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread” (Luke 4:4); “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here” (Luke 4:9) – and in his attempt to lure Jesus into a destructive relationship: “If you worship me, it will all be yours” (Luke 4:7);

If that questions – remember who you are

Twice in this dialogue, the Slanderer uses if in order to question and challenge Jesus’ identity. To be (truly) the Son of God, Jesus has to perform certain totally irrelevant deeds: changing a stone into bread and throwing himself from the temple.

I know many Christians who question their identity of being sons and daughters of God. No matter how much they pray, no matter how much they try to do good things, they doubt whether God really loves them; as if an inner voice was speaking inside their minds saying that, in order to please God, they should still do something more. We know what a devastating impact doubt has on a child who is not sure of his/her parents' love. Fearfulness, low self-esteem, and negative thoughts are just but a few characteristics of a person who does not know whether s/he is accepted and loved. Because of that lack of assurance, such a person will try to do whatever is asked of him/her to prove his/her identity. The same is true in the realm of spiritual life. Somebody who doubts his/her identity as a child of God will mount prayers and devotions, s/he will multiply promises, only to realize that no matter what s/he does the doubt does not leave. “Does God really love me; does He care for me and my family?” Then follows the stage of discouragement and a decision to give up altogether.

Paul says that we have received the Spirit of sonship, which allows us to call God, our Father. Our deep identity is that of children of God. We do not need to change a stone into bread, jump from a high building, or do some other stupid things to prove it. As you cannot stop being a child of your parents, no matter what you do – whether good or bad – so you cannot stop being a child of God. Remember who you are and wave aside all the attempts of your enemy to challenge your identity.

If that lures – remember whom you serve

Trying to challenge our identity is one way the Slanderer uses to defeat us. To lure us into worshipping him by offering something ‘incredible’ is another. “If you worship me, it will all be yours” (Luke 4:7). Satan seems to have no shame. He requested that Jesus would prostrate himself in front of him, expressing in this way his allegiance to him. In exchange, Satan promises something which is not in his power to give, namely, the authority and the splendor of all the kingdom of the world. It belongs to God alone: “Your, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours” (1 Chronicles 29:11).

David was a businessman signing for a lucrative construction project in Iraq; Nicole was a young woman applying for a lucrative job in  show business in Los Angeles; Jim was a construction worker signing for a reconstruction job in New Orleans. All of them were lured by the promise of making a fortune in a short time. David never made it in the end; he was captured and executed by Iraqis insurgents; the life of Nicole became a tragedy (read about Anna Nicole Smith); Jim is still waiting for his salary to be paid, while sleeping on the streets of New Orleans. I could mount the examples from any country and region of the world, and yet, the end of all those stories is usually the same: broken lives as the outcome of false promises.

By luring us with false promises, the Slanderer wants to take God’s place in our lives. We need to realize that he does not have power to deliver those promises. Our happiness is deeply related to our relationship with God. It is from Him that we get all things necessary for a ‘successful living’. Jesus’ answer, “worship the Lord your God and serve him only,” sets us free from all those people and forces which want to rule over our lives. It is in front of God that we prostrate ourselves and it is to God that we render our religious and civil duties. This awareness is at best captured by saying that if God occupies the first place than everything is in its right place.

The lesson

The story of Jesus’ temptations is commonly associated with human addiction to easy life, power, and fame. It is partly true, but it is not the main lesson of this story. Jesus teaches us how to make choices in life. He sets in front of us two guiding principles on which we should base our decisions in every specific situation: (1) our identity as children of God; (2) our allegiance to God alone. We cannot foresee all challenges and options that life may bring to us. But having in mind that we are God’s children and knowing that we are accountable to Him can help us to overcome all pitfalls and get over any failure, mistake, and sin. As children of God, we are assured of His love; as God’s allies we are responsible stewards of our talents and resources, using them not for our personal gain but for His glory and for the benefit of others.

I met them two days ago. Chris and Monica spent ten years working in Japan, making a good living, while their friends back in their country were living under an oppressive system of  military rule. “What is your life all about?” –they were asked once by a priest. This simple question led them to rethink their priorities. I met them two days ago in Manila. They did not talk about money; they talked about the ways to help their people; they shared their vision of establishing educational center and livelihood projects. In one month they will be back in their country together with their friends exposed to hardships, poverty, and military harassments. Yes, they were worried, but it did not deter them. Now, they can answer the question.

Conclusion

Faced with doubts regarding our identity, or lured with the false promises of success, we are called to emulate Jesus. We know who we are, and we know whom we serve. Living as God’s children and being on God’s side lead us to those choices that enhance our happiness and bring meaning to our lives.