Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down . . .” Matthew 4:5
Nerd confession time: We love watching and discussing superhero movies at our house. In fact, it’s not uncommon for us to debate about what superpower we would want, if given the choice. I usually pick flight, but there are some other interesting options. Like those superheroes, I imagine that if I could fly, I would use my powers only for good and never for evil.
For better or worse, I don’t need to worry about misusing such power. Jesus did though. In todays’ passage, he faced off with Satan in an epic battle of temptation. In the story, the devil took Christ to the temple pinnacle, demanding he prove himself to be the son of God, by throwing himself down. If you really are God, fly. Prove your power (my paraphrase).
Jesus didn’t use his divine powers flippantly though, and he certainly didn’t use them for evil, selfish purposes. Jesus healed the sick, drove out demons, and raised the dead, following his father’s will, doing his work. Being one with God, he could do anything . . . except use his power for evil.
Honestly, I’m sure that if I were given access to such power, that I would use it for personal gain. I would set out with good intentions, but the temptation to follow me would eventually corrupt those intentions. I don’t have to use my imagination to know this. I have evidence. God has already given me much in this life. I may not have superpowers, but I have time, money, and love to give to those whom God has put in my path.
Have I proven myself worthy of the gifts God has given me? Or, have I more often pursued my own will, doing whatever I wanted? Do I now give of what I have, doing what I can to love those around me? Or, do I just live for me and mine?
We may not have to worry about superpowers, but we all must choose what we do with what God has given us. Do we spend these gifts only on ourselves? Or, do we daily abandon ourselves, follow God’s will, and do what we can with what we have, to love those around us?