Common Ground

Isn't it funny that as humans we like to identify with something or someone else? Very few people in this world enjoy being alone, taking a stand alone, or taking responsibility alone.  In fact, I don't know of anybody who enjoys taking responsibility for their wrong actions...

 

Three examples I have noticed this to be true are found in Scripture.  In Matthew 16:1-12, I noticed that the Pharisee's and Sadducees (two religious sects who completely disagreed in their beliefs) joined forces against Jesus, tempting Him.  The second (and more poignant) example of this is found in Luke 23...In this example, Jesus is on trial.  After going to a trial with Annas, a trial before Caiaphas, a trial before the Sanhedrin, and a trial before Pilate, Jesus was sent to a trial before Herod  Antipas.  Though neither Herod or Pilate could find anything to condemn Jesus, one of the saddest verses in the passage to me is found in Luke 23:12.  This verse says that "And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves."  How sad to think that Jesus' unfair trial and ultimately His crucifixion, led to these two men having political peace. 

 

The last example that I noticed was in Acts 9:1-2 where Saul(a Pharisee), was commissioned by Caiaphas, the High Priest (who was a Sadducee) to arrest all of the Christians and to bring them bound to Jerusalem. 

 

The Pharisees and Sadducee's did not agree on many things.  Yet, they laid aside their many differences in order to see Jesus "caught."  Herod and Pilate had great enmity together...yet they found friendship on the common ground of "washing their hands" of the guilt of Jesus' crucifixion. 

 

Simply something to think about: be sure you aren't "jumping on the bandwagon" in order to see someone else's demise (as in the case of Saul's persecution of the Christians, and the Pharisee's and Sadducee's joining forces against Jesus), or in order to feel justified in the responsibility you have to take (in the case of Herod and Pilate). 

 

If you are going to decide to do something, take the full responsibility of that action, AND the results that ensue.  The desire to have someone else to fall back on, or have someone else to blame, is strong.  But the more I've thought on this, the more I'm determined to quelch this desire. 

These are just a few thoughts I've had over the past few days...I'm certain these thoughts don't make complete sense since I just typed them as they came to my mind.

Until later!