Act with Confidence

            “ACT WITH CONFIDENCE”.  This is the insight that came to me as I asked the question:  “How should I imitate the Lord Jesus Christ in my daily life?” 

            Reflecting on how Jesus Christ behaved whenever he was confronted by those who wanted to trap him with questions that seem to be double bladed or controversial,  he always answered in a way that made the people spell bound with his wisdom,  authority and power.

            In Matthew 22:15-22, the Pharisees wanted to trap him by asking the question: “Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar,  or not?”  Jesus answered: “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the coin used for the poll tax.”  And they brought Him a denarius.  And He said to them,  “Whose image and inscription is this?”  They said to Him, “Caesar’s” Then He said to them: “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s”.  And hearing this, they marveled, and leaving Him, they went away.

            Also in Matthew 12:10-15 we read: “There was a man with a withered hand.  And they questioned Him saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” in order that they might accuse Him.  And He said to them: “What man shall there be among you, who shall have one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it, and lift it out?  Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep!  So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”  Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!”  And he stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other.  But the Pharisees went out, and counseled together against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.”

               In Luke 10:29-37 when a lawyer wishing to justify himself asked Jesus: “And who is my neighbor?”,  Jesus answered with a parable of the Good Samaritan.

            In John 18:19-21 when the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and His teaching He answered: “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues, and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret.  Why do you question Me?  Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; behold, these know what I said.”

              

               In all these instances Jesus behaved with equanimity without any fear and full of confidence in the righteousness of His words.   This is the behavior that I admire most in our Lord Jesus whenever He was confronted by people who wanted to put Him down.  Hence, this is the trait of our Lord Jesus Christ that I would like to imitate as I relate with people in my daily life.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

September 23, 2012