Matt. 4:8-11. Then the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world… “All this I will give you … if you kneel down and worship me.”

That was an easy one, I’d say. First question, who ever said it was part of the devil’s portfolio to ‘own’ all those kingdoms. Second question: Devil, how do you ‘give’ a kingdom? Jesus called his bluff. Yes, the kingdoms were riddled with greed and corruption, self-serving civil servants, big people whose only purpose was to get more money, influence, power. I wonder sometimes what it would have looked like if the devil did have that portfolio. People would probably believe the only way to change their existence was by force of arms. They would seek to overthrow their rulers. But the outfit that took power would turn out to be half again as corrupt as the guys they threw out.

On second thought, maybe the devil did/does have charge over all the nations. I hate to think so but just maybe what we see as normal in our world, what we call ‘the way things are,’ is a world Jesus should have taken over back there in that desert temptation. But this is just the problem, isn’t it?

If God had willed us to live perfect lives of love and selflessness, probably it could have been. Ant colonies are full of workers who never even think of being disobedient (I suppose). But God didn’t it. God made Adam and Eve and first thing you know they were off and running counter clockwise. God expects us to struggle in the world, I guess. Maybe the whole question of our lives is how do we react when things are unfair, life is a bummer, when our hopes are dashed to bits, our dreams denied.  Maybe the world we live in is meant to test us, to press us to become strong minded. Maybe the whole point of living is to discover we need to turn to God and wait on her. Maybe the whole business of living is to turn our hearts to God and hear what God is willing for us.

God, we are so willful so much of the time, thinking what we make of the world is Your will. Teach us to listen, to trust you and to do your will. Amen.

-Dick Sales