Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, Bishop
Herod … swore to give her whatever she might ask for. (Matthew 14:7)
Isn’t it amazing how powerful emotions can be? Just think of the sway Herodias’ daughter held over King Herod. She was able to manipulate his emotions so that he made, and later upheld, an oath that even he knew wasn’t a good idea—killing John the Baptist. But instead of allowing his reason to prevail, and instead of humbly admitting he had spoken rashly, Herod ordered John’s execution.
We have a contrasting situation with Jeremiah. Jerusalem’s priests kept pushing the political leaders to execute Jeremiah because he had the nerve to prophesy against the city. But when Jeremiah defended himself against the charges, one official, named Ahikam, responded to the voice of reason, not to the emotional arguments that were circulating. By protecting Jeremiah from death, Ahikam stood against the tide of public outrage and did what was right.
Now, we know that our God-given emotions are good and vital parts of who we are. Where would we be without love, which draws us to each other, or without fear, which warns us of danger and seeks to protect us? But at the same time, we know that our reason, not our emotions, is meant to rule us. We need to acknowledge what our emotions are telling us, but then test these feelings to see how they measure up against God’s word and the inner voice of our consciences. This is how good decisions are made!
The good news is that God allows U-turns, no matter how bad a decision is! Herod could have changed his mind up to the very last second, and God would have blessed him immensely for it. It’s never too late to let reason rein in our emotions. It’s never too late to turn from a bad decision and try to make it right. Just as Ahikam stood strong against the outrage and wounded pride of the priests, we can stand strong against our own pride, hurt feelings, or selfishness. God is ready, at every juncture, to give us the grace we need. So never give up! Always keep your eyes open, and let the Spirit continue to teach you how to choose wisely.
“Holy Spirit, help me see why I do what I do. Help me to submit my emotions to faith and reason so that I can make godly choices!”
Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24; Psalm 69:15-16, 30-31, 33-34
Daily Marriage Tip for August 2, 2014:
Since before Cinderella, stepparents have had a bad rap. Stepparents can play a precarious role, trying to love as a true parent but sometimes experiencing difficulties and unsure of their job. If you have a stepchild, pray, listen and wait to be accepted. If you don’t have a stepchild, pray for those in step relationships […]