When certain trials in our life take hold of us, how do we respond? Do we turn our face toward the danger and take it head on, or do we wilt and let fear overcome us? Over the last few years of my life I have had to answer these questions head on in ways I would not have otherwise imagined.
All of us here have had to answer the same questions. Do we give up? Do we hide? Do we pretend the situation is going to go away? Or, do we take on the problem head on?
Jesus was faced with these questions when he was warned in Luke 13:31-35—by some Pharisees no less—that Herod wanted him dead and he should stay away from Jerusalem. Jesus’ response to imminent doom was to call Herod a fox and set his eyes toward Jerusalem. He was intent on facing the danger.
This courage is fascinating to me. Not only does it require Jesus to be confident in his mission, but he also must make himself vulnerable at the same time. Quite literally, when Jesus turns his face toward Jerusalem and acknowledges he will die there he makes himself vulnerable. Vulnerable to suffering, vulnerable to death.
And that, I think, is important to mark. Because, as a culture, we do not often equate vulnerability with courage and strength. We equate vulnerability with care, love, and concern, perhaps, but not often with courage and strength. At our worst, we see vulnerability as a sign of weakness, something to be avoided at all costs.
We see this with our political leaders all the time. How often do they go out of their way to show any sign of weakness? How often are they willing to take a position that leaves them vulnerable?
Instead, they puff out their chest and will not admit defeat and will go out of their way to show their dominance, and, if they were to ever to show a sign of weakness, we would be weary to the fact they have ulterior motives for their actions; that they might have something up their sleeve or they are pandering to a certain group of people.
It is quite an opposite message with Jesus. His glory was not going to be found in puffing out his chest and dominating. His glory was going to be in death.God loves us so dearly and yearns to protect us so much he will make himself vulnerable, even to death, for us.
We are just over four weeks away from one of the two most consequential events in all of history. The first event is God coming to live among us as Jesus, the second event is Jesus dying on the cross for our sins. It is Jesus purposefully putting himself in the way of danger, torture, and death.
In the lead up to Easter, may we reflect on Jesus’ courage and vulnerability as he places himself in danger for us. May we allow ourselves time to reflect even now on the sacrifice Jesus made for us. And may we too find a courageous vulnerability in the trials and tribulations of our lives.
