Called A Meeting

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what he had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God. So from that day on they planned to put him to death. Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the Jews, but went from there to a town called Ephraim in the region near the wilderness; and he remained there with the disciples. John 11:45-54 

I am one of those people who have found myself in a meeting wondering why we were called together. I often wonder whether folks who call meetings just do it to socialize safely as they are otherwise awkward around other people. Some meetings need to happen, but they seemed to be most often called more out of fear and anxiety, worries about troubles and threats. Or money concerns. I usually doodle during stressful meetings to keep my ears on the conversation and my hands busy so as not to strike out at annoying folks.

Jesus had raised Lazarus and folks were impressed enough to become his followers. This was a threat to the religious leaders, both for control worries and financial ones as well. They plotted his death because he had done wonderful things. It is the worst of human nature, and we see it so often. Pride and jealousy lead us to want to destroy those who make us look weak or ineffective. Or who are just doing things we cannot possibly do. Jealousy and greed, at the core of our worst human failings, is prevalent among all leaders. We are invited by God to examine our hearts and motive, so that our worst traits are not informing our important decisions.

Today I ask God to help me cleanse my heart and follow the one who raised the dead and made the lame to walk. May we clear our hearts of jealousy and greed so that we may see the need around us and respond with the compassion and caring of Jesus.