When the Lord overturned tables in the temple court (Matt. 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18), He drove out moneychangers along with people buying and selling goods. By all accounts, this was a passionate demonstration. Jesus purposefully expressed His convictions and took action. Remembering this is helpful as we think about attachment and detachment—it highlights that being passionate about something can be totally different from a passion that draws us away from God.
Imagine how often Jesus passed those tables and chose to do nothing until it was the right time to act. But pausing didn’t mean He was indifferent. His decision to act when He did—not sooner or later—came out of His obedience to the Father and from His love and concern for the world. Freedom results from confronting and relinquishing unhealthy attachments. But we also should be motivated by love and consideration for the world, without getting caught up in it.
Think about it
- Do you relate to the way Jesus took action in the temple courts? Why or why not?
- When you see an unhealthy attachment in your life, do you tend to respond rashly or to consider the situation prayerfully?
And that’s the memo.
By Charles Stanley and InTouch Ministries
