“Then Jesus was led into the wild place in order to be tempted by the Evil One” (Matthew 4.1).
No matter the year or how short or long the season of the Epiphany, we always end up in the same place. After starlight and strange visitors, flight by night and journeys home we find ourselves here, at the trailhead into the wild place, our eyes unable to make out much of the path for the thickness of the trees, not at all ready for what comes next.
This walk through temptation was not a one and done thing for Jesus. If you think for a moment that the Evil One would give up after three attempts…well, I can tell you they haven’t given up trying with me and I’m by no means the caliber of person nor the threat to the Evil One’s desires that Jesus was. This was just the opening salvo. The trumpet blast that would be followed by whispers.
Jesus, being who he is, was tempted with big things: unlimited power, adoration of billions, satisfying the ache and want of every stomach. I imagine some people are still tempted with these things. Perhaps politicians, religious leaders, celebrities hear that smooth, silky voice offering up such amazing powers. My temptations are probably a lot more like yours—far more mundane and far less world-changing.
Most days it’s simple choices: giving someone my full attention when I’ve got other things to do; choosing to believe someone is acting with integrity and the best of intentions; maybe not being so arrogant. It’s not at all as interesting reading as what the Gospels record.
But, dull and pedestrian as mine and, I imagine, yours are, I do believe that they are just as world-altering as the temptations felt by those that wield power and influence over crowds and nations. If they didn’t, why would the Evil One be bothering with us?
There are, currently, about eight billion people on this world of ours. So, if you’re the Advesary you’ve got to be judicious about who you’re tempting. Outside of the less than one percent of the world who have real authority, the powers of Hate and Destruction have to be choosy about whose actions make any real difference.
Which means that these little temptations that plague us must not be little things in the grander scheme. If you and I had no influence on the propagation of Love amongst humanity, would we find ourselves so often challenged to make a choice between kindness and ego?
Maybe we will never find ourselves surrounded by stones or at the peak of a tall building and able to capture the eyes of the world. But, perhaps we are just as dangerous to the forces of inhumanity, greed, and death as that figure we now follow into the wild place.
Jesus, give me the strength to resist the temptations that come; so, I may bring ever more love into this world and, by your grace, help transform this world into a place where Love runs free and wild.