The Power of Restraint

"A Saint is one who exaggerates what the World neglects."

                                                                                                               ~ G. K. Chesterton


In 1990/91, I watched the first modern war fought on television.
After months of build-up, Desert Shield instantly became Desert Storm; the months of protecting our Saudi Arabian allies and economic interest were over. 
The Eagle and Bear joined together for the first since World War II and defeated yet another enemy to world and economic peace.
And the United States, rising from the shadow of pain and sorrow left behind by the Vietnam era politicians, rose to greater military heights than had been seen in generations.

During that time, I remember General Schwarzkopf  on television; then and now, I believe if we had American interests at stake during a war - that's the man I want leading the troops.

General Schwarzkopf

He was given the name 'Stormin' Norman,' due to the speed in which American tanks raced across the desert; in one day, his strategic maneuvering of troops and weaponry all but put the Iraqi Republican Guard on its knees.

I have been to that same base in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where General Schwarzkopf ran the war and led the United States and her allies to victory.
Still today, if I was in such an engagement, he is the man whom I would want leading me; he typified strength, confidence, honor and courage.
He is the man or type of man millions would serve with and willing die with, if necessary, because of what he is able to inspire within them.

And to some, He is the type of man which was envisioned in the Messiah; a strong, confident, hero leader. 
A man who never shows weakness, never is questioned and can thunder into a situation and win in elaborate form each and every time.

In short, the man I have described is a complete reversal of the Beatitudes recorded from the lips of the real Messiah in Matthew's Gospel.

Yet, modern Christians long for this type of leader rather than the personification of the Beatitudes in Jesus Christ.
As evidence, simply look in the media at who has become idolized; it is the strong, confident, beautiful and rich.
But what we often don't talk about is those whom are idolized are often a miserable group of people; neither happy nor fulfilled because while their lives are full, their hearts are empty.

We see the power of Jesus in the Beatitudes as well as His temptations in life; the strength the world longs for and desires is seen largely in His restraint.

While I was sick and recovering, I became a much more compassionate person.
Often, when alone in prayer and Scripture, I would wonder to myself why Jesus, since He did have the power to cure diseases and raise the dead; why didn't He do it more than seemingly allowing the fallen world to run its course?
I am living proof of what God can do; but I still wonder why He doesn't do it more often.

In Scripture, moving from the Beatitudes to Jesus' temptation by Satan, it tells us much about His power and His restraint.
I have no doubt that Jesus can solve the world's problems of natural disasters or mutating viruses; but would this solve our problems?
The answer is a resounding, 'No.'

Jesus' first act after baptism was to go into the desert to be tempted by Satan; the Greek language in the Scripture indicates that the Lord was internally thrust into this situation.
To those who believe temptations and trials do not befall believers, I would say that since Jesus encountered this as His first act, the Christian too will be confronted with evil during our lives.

Every Christian knows that Jesus was tempted in the desert; sometimes the Christian in modern times must also go through temptations in our own desert of the moment.

But if you go back further, the temptation of God's people goes beyond earth itself and has

Lucifer's Fall from Heaven

maintained a constant theme in spiritual history.
Long before the world was created, we are told of a rebellion in heaven; the sin of Lucifer was simply, 'to be like God.'
His pride and belief that he could overthrow God gained him followers but it also gained him expulsion from heaven and an eternity separated from God.

On the earth, in the Garden after the Creation of man and woman; he tempted Eve with the same temptation which caused him to fall.
The temptation was 'to be like God;' an appeal to pride and a shadow of doubt that God is eternally good towards those whom He loves.

But when Jesus was thrust into the wilderness, the temptation from Satan had changed because the players had changed.
To Adam and Eve, the temptation was 'to be like God;' for Jesus, the Son of God, the temptation was, 'Can you also actually be fully human?'

All the details we have from the Temptation in the Wilderness is from Jesus Himself through the Gospel writers.
But for some reason, Jesus found it important and necessary not to show us what he could do, but rather, what He would not do at an inappropriate time.
For some reason, Jesus Christ found it necessary to reveal His weakness for all ages.

Sometimes I have imagined this scene as two, age-hardened warriors having a wary respect for one another - like Muhammad Ali and George Foreman set to do battle within the squared circle.
Yet, I know nothing could be further from the truth.

What was really taking place was two, other-worldly warriors converging on planet Earth from the Cosmos to do battle in ways we still cannot fathom today.
We see one, Lucifer, who is confident and sly; knowing His opponent and the Word of God as well as anyone ever created.
The other participant, He is confident - but in a weakened state, for Scripture teaches us Jesus set aside His glory for tabernacle which is flesh and bone.

When it took place, the temptation was simple; just as simple as it was to Adam and Eve before Him and to every man who has fallen to temptation since.
It was an appeal, a temptation offering Jesus the chance to become the thundering Messiah that humanity believes it wants.

In modern terms, it was for Jesus to become our General Schwarzkopf in the spiritual realm.

What's interesting to me is not the fact that Jesus overcame this temptation, but rather the fact that few realize Jesus was tempted this way several times during His life.
And this tells me, we too will be tempted throughout our lives with good things being offered in a horribly wrong way.
But I digress.

You see, Jesus was tempted three times in similar ways.
The first time, He was tempted by Lucifer in the desert.
The second time, Jesus was tempted by Peter in this manner; and the third time, it was by the thief on the Cross while they were both dying.

Consequently, all three were saying the same thing to Jesus with different words and for different reasons:
'You don't have to suffer. If you are really the Christ, don't suffer. This can be done another way, a better way...a way that doesn't involve dying on a Cross.'

And it is here that we see the true strength of Christ; it is in His restraint.
This restraint can also be applied to other things in our lives which we wish would simply go away - like suffering, disease, wars, etc.

Generally, when a person is struggling in their life, they will always come back to the question, 'Why does God sit on His hands?'
We want God to act, to move on our behalf; yet, when He doesn't, we become discouraged and, at times, even angry.

For example, if God had just flicked Saddam Hussein or Adolph Hitler off the planet with His

finger, just think of how many lives would have been saved.
So, why didn't He do it and save us the pain and suffering?

You see, we want a God that we deem as being more active and more personal in the ways we want; not necessarily how He wants.
We also fail to remember that the more active God is, the less freedom we have.

And that - that is the whole point of pain, suffering, temptation and trials; it deals with how we will respond, act, and believe when we are pressed to the worst circumstances.

The miracles that Satan wanted, the signs the Pharisees demanded or even the proofs we yearn for in our lives; these are no serious obstacle to the Lord Jesus.
What is most amazing is His refusal to perform and overwhelm us.

But if Jesus did that - overwhelm through His performance of miracles - it would not achieve the response He desires from us. 
It didn't work with Moses and the Hebrews coming out of Egypt, and it won't work with modern Christians today.

God desires faith, trust, belief, compassion and a host of other characteristics Jesus displayed within Himself during His time on Earth.
He was the perfect image of who God really is; modeling the Beatitudes and fulfilling the Law simultaneously. 

Like within a Godly marriage, this can only be achieved, not by being forced with power, but by through the ultimate power of God in restraint - with the freedom in forgiveness and grace.

As He has given us these, may we extend them also to one another.

Until next time, win one for the good guys.