The Choice Of Concern The Choice Of Concern
Do we really have concern for others? Sure, it is very easy to say we have concern for others, to speak the language of concern and to selectively chose our acts of compassion that demonstrate concern. But do we truly have concern and demonstrate that concern through acts of compassion and sacrifice when we get into situations where we are faced with the choice between demonstrating concern for others or demonstrating concern for ourselves? When the choice is between demonstrating concern for others or not demonstrating concern for others, its seems like a very simple choice. However, the dynamics and difficulty of this choice change when the choice is between concern demonstration for others and self preservation for ourselves.
As Christians we face this choice on a daily basis and how we react to it serves to help define our relationship with The Christ and with others. Sadly, when many of us are faced with this choice our reaction is so quick and without thought that we may not even recognize the fact that a choice presented itself. And because of this fact I suspect many of us miss the incredible closeness with The Christ that can be felt when spurred on by his example and The Comforter, when we make the right choice.
Jesus was faced with this choice throughout his earthly life and even though he was all God and all man this type of choice was not one that even he took lightly. In the Garden of Gethsemane he demonstrated a perfect understanding of the importance of this type of choice when he came face to face with the condition of sin.
As eloquently put by Oswald Chambers, "It was not death on the cross that Jesus agonized over in Gethsemane. In fact, He stated very emphatically that He came with the purpose of dying. His concern here was that He might not get through this struggle as the Son of Man. He was confident of getting through it as the Son of God— Satan could not touch Him there. But Satan’s assault was that our Lord would come through for us on His own solely as the Son of Man. If Jesus had done that, He could not have been our Savior."(1)
Understanding the incredible importance of a choice of this type (meeting Satan's all out assault as the Son of God or the Son of Man) how did Jesus approach the choice? Well, in the Garden of Gethsemane one might draw inspiration and guidance from a few simple observations:
- He Recognized The Pending "Choice" And Sought Time Alone To Discuss It With His Father.
- He Engaged With His Closest Friends By Sharing With Them His Concern, And Asking For Their Support During The Time Of Choice.
- He Was Honest About What He Was Feeling, Yet He Submitted Himself To The Will Of His Father.
- He Was Resolute Even When Betrayed, That His Concern Would Be For Others First.
The choice Jesus made in the Garden was a choice that allowed us to have the wonderful privilege of salvation and was a decision that literally saved the human race. As we have opportunity in our lives today, let's be diligent in approaching life with a full awareness of the fact that we will regularly be faced with the choice between demonstrating concern for others or demonstrating concern for ourselves (self preservation). When this choice arrives, lets remember the perfect model Jesus provided in dealing with the ultimate choice he made for us, and seek to apply it in our lives. For while we may not be making a choice that will literally save the human race, we may very well be making a choice that will impact a decision made by another to accept or reject the benefits provided by Jesus' great choice.
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
9:06:42 AM 
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