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Speaking Up

             Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor. (Matthew 27:11-14)

 

Yesterday, I listened to a podcast in which Jesus’ trials were mentioned. The key point about the trials was that Jesus didn’t respond to Pilate or Herod. While we (the speaker said) tend to try to prove ourselves, to make ourselves look good even without being on trial legally, Jesus didn’t act on a need to control. What the speaker didn’t point out is that from Jesus’ point of view, everything was going according to the plan. Why speak up and potentially mess up?

Jesus spoke up when commanded to do so in the name of God. He also spoke up when what He said could benefit someone else.

What the speaker said in connection with this is that there are five core false need: control, perfection, having the answer(s), being there for people who are hurting, and approval. It seems strange that “being there for people who are hurting” should be included in the list. Aren’t we supposed to do that? Didn’t Jesus tell us to love our neighbors as ourselves? Yes, but the possible key here is in the description of the lists: false needs. The question is not whether we should be there when people are hurting. The question is whether we need to be there when people are in need. Is our being there to meet our needs? Are we virtue signaling? After all, being in control, being perfect, having answers, and approval aren’t bad things either. Needing them is.

Jesus didn’t speak to for His own benefit or to meet His own needs. He spoke when it met someone else’s needs in a way that might benefit them. Some folks suggest we use the filter of five questions before we speak: Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it kind? Is it gently said? Is it timely? (Other lists may vary a little.) But we can share true, helpful, kind, gentle, and timely stuff to look good or meet some false need. And when we do so, we negate the good we think we’re trying to do. 

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