Appreciating The Power of Free Will
“…but the Pharisees and scholars of the law, who were not baptized by him, rejected the plan of God for themselves.” ~ Lk 7:30
Today, using the Gospel reading from Luke 7:24-30 to talk about the power of choice or free will as we like to refer to it.
It comes from the second part of the last verse 30. It’s the section where it says, “but the Pharisees and scholars of the law, who were not baptized by him rejected the plan of God for themselves.” This is in reference to Jesus talking about John the Baptist and the people that decided they were too knowledgeable to accept John the Baptist as the messenger for Jesus (or the Messiah).
I started playing with the concept of choosing to reject the plan of God for my life.
I find it interesting to recognize the power of free will. The concept that I can choose to believe and to do whatever I see fit regardless of the evidence around me.
I can only imagine what it would be to live in the times of Jesus. To hear Jesus say uncommon things and claiming to be a certain figure in unexpected ways that most of the scribes or priests would consider real.
I imagine how confusing it could have been to see a regular man heal the sick and cure things you thought impossible to cure.
Hence, you see these miracles happening that contradict all the beliefs you grew up with. It’s only natural to reject the evidence and deny Jesus as the proper Messiah. Then, explain it away by claiming he was possessed by demons and there were demons curing these people.
I can see it all, just as I can see how we continue to deny certain scientific facts about earth and other things.
It’s interesting to recognize how powerful it is to have free will.
I can choose to see a life of hope with a God that has all the intent to help me be the best that I can be; just as I can see no existence of God and I made it up. I don’t really need to believe in any of that and the only thing I can believe in is what I see, feel, touch, and that’s the way it goes.
I can see both extremes and I find beauty in the power of will.
This is not about being right or wrong, it’s simply appreciating it’s a lot more pleasant to be able to choose what I can believe in as opposed to living in a country where I’m forced and brainwashed to believe certain things about life and everything else.
Today is about recognition and, in a way, being grateful for having the power to choose what to believe in, whether it is right or wrong, and create an experience based on it.
In peace,
~Juan
