They have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart. PSALM 11:2
Jesus was “upright in heart” and from the earliest days of His ministry He was the target of wicked men. At least twice, He had to challenge the well-meaning advice of His friends.
Once, some Pharisees said to Jesus, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you” (Luke 13:31). These well-meaning Pharisees wanted to warn Him of danger, but Jesus challenged the voice of fear and despair: “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course’” (Luke 13:32). In other words, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m set on my course and I’m going to finish it.”
The second time Jesus had to resist the well-meaning advice of a friend is much better known—when Peter confessed that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mat. 16:16). After Peter said this, Jesus began to tell His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, that He must suffer many things, that He must be killed, and then rise on the third day.
Peter responded, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you” (Mat. 16:22). In other words, “I’m following you, Jesus, and this is the one thing that can never happen.” Jesus challenged the voice of fear and despair: “Get behind me, Satan!” (16:23). Satan’s temptation came in the form of the well-meaning advice of a friend who lacked discernment of God’s will.
Is the love of a well-meaning friend creating a subtle temptation for you right now?
Written by Colin Smith
Read by Sue McLeish
