God Gives Us What We Ask For
Today’s reading: Mark 11:12-24
It’s important to notice that, even though he asked for it, Jesus does not celebrate the fig tree’s death in today’s reading. Nor does he rejoice over his angry behavior at the temple.
He simply says, “Have faith in God.” (Verse 22)
The lesson of these verses is equally simple: be careful, because God does give us what we ask for.
I’m sure I will be accused of blasphemy for “second guessing” Jesus as I am about to do in the next few paragraphs. So be it. Having learned from all of his other lessons, I understand that Jesus even second guessed himself in this instance.
Jesus found himself angry at the fig tree because he was hungry and it was barren. So he asked God to destroy it, and God did.
Meanwhile, his hunger was resolved in some other way, and that tree would never feed another man.
Similarly, Jesus’s frustration over his hunger continued into the temple, a place that is supposed to be a sanctuary for the hungry (and others in need). So he let them have it.
And this outburst provoked only anger among people who would, then, become his “enemies” and not be satisfied until Jesus had been tortured and killed.
None of this can be truthfully described as “good.”
That’s why Jesus does not celebrate it afterward.
Elsewhere in his lessons, Jesus tells the world that Love is the greatest commandment. Had he followed his own teaching, then, he would have ignored his anger and prayed for the fig tree to bear fruit for an entire city and for the money changers to rise up in unison to and donate their wealth to worthy and glorious causes.
It’s clear that Jesus made “mistakes” in today’s reading. But it’s also clear that they were done with a purpose.
I understand that Jesus intentionally brought about the wrath that would ultimately result in His death. And, upon his Resurrection, this would become the greatest lesson he would teach the world.
So, the lesson of today’s reading is not, as I have heard others say, that it is okay for us to sometimes let our anger get the better of us.
No, anger will always remain a sin.
But, if I (and we) remain true to a strong faith in God, that sin will always lead to a glorious result.
Thanks be to God for the glorious lessons of the story of Jesus’ life. May I remain an eager student of them.
Don Cudd
July 2, 2013 @ 12:47 pm
Thanks for this Wade! I must admit that I too have doubts about my own contention that Jesus was “second guessing himself.” But this morning when I typed this, I couldn’t think of a more appropriate phrase. Like you, I am certain that Jesus was intentional in his teaching through this episode. I do agree with you that it was an illustration. But I see it as a lesson of what happens when we let our anger get the better of us: because Jesus’s “anger” (I put that in quotes because I don’t think the anger is real. Jesus, I believe is capable of only love.) a tree that had potential to be a blessing to many simply withered away. And a whole city full wrath was spurned into action against Jesus (not because he cursed the tree, by the way. I agree with you about that, too).
I don’t believe we’re not as far apart on this as you may think. Jesus’s cursing of the tree — even if it was just a lesson — prevented the tree from bearing fruit. And Jesus’s anger in the temple prevented him from being able to convince those men to turn to God right then — and that is the fruit that God expects us all to bear. And the Crucifixion happened as a result.
Am I saying that Jesus died for his own sins too? Well, yes, I guess I am. But it’s important to note that He committed that sin, only as a illustration for our sake.
The practical lesson to all of this is simply that anger is, definitely, a sin. And, accordingly, it always gets us in trouble. But, as with all other sins, God forgives it and, if we trust Him, he always finds ways to turn it into glory.
Thanks again for posting your thoughts. This is the kind of discussion I’ve been praying these devotionals will inspire! Many blessings!
Wade
July 2, 2013 @ 10:08 am
I struggled with this one for a long time too Don. But I don’t think you got this exactly one right. I don’t think Jesus was second guessing himself. I think Jesus was illustrating God’s righteous wrath when we don’t bear fruit. Like many of Jesus’ teachings, he was teaching by parable. He wasn’t really mad because the tree didn’t have fruit. And I’m certain the Pharasees of the day would still have wanted him Crucified if he hadn’t cursed the tree. Again, Jesus was illustrating God’s fully justified anger at those of us who do not produce fruit. Similar to the parable of the Talents. Matthew 25:14-30 And God’s wrath is holy and fully justified unlike man’s wrath, (Ezekiel 25:17 Joshua 7:1 Psalms 2:1-6)