What an odd thing for Jesus to say. “Who made me judge or divider over you?” Isn’t Jesus God? Isn’t he exactly the right person to judge us? In other scripture texts, he describes himself as a judge, with that authority given to him by the father. So what is going on here? Why does Jesus appear to distance himself from arbitration over our
affairs?
Perhaps this is a question of priorities. Someone in the crowd approaches Jesus and asks him to settle a familial dispute over inheritance. He wants Jesus to make a verdict about their financial affairs and then use his authority to make a demand to the person’s brother. Jesus seems annoyed by this. Maybe he thinks that such an issue could be solved by discussion
and careful reasoning between the siblings. Maybe he is not really that interested in our financial disputes.
What is it that really concerns Jesus? His mission is to bring about the Kingdom of God, a kingdom of justice, compassion and love. He came to make the love and mercy of God tangible. He invests himself deeply in relationships, preaching about God’s love and demonstrating that love in the way he lives his life. He frequently makes time to be alone with his Father
in prayer. Matters of the heart are Jesus’ first priority.
It is not a problem to pray about our financial concerns. These can cause us great anxiety, especially when we are uncertain about how we will pay our bills, send our children to school, or even keep food on the table. We can and should bring these concerns to Jesus. The key is to monitor the priorities in our hearts. What is coming first, the material
possessions or the life that they are meant to serve? Jesus longs for us to draw nearer to our loving God, restore our relationships with our fellow human beings and be reconciled with creation. Over these matters, he is divider and judge.
Take a moment to reflect on the priorities in your life. What occupies your thoughts, what brings you anxiety, what calms you down? On what and with whom do you spend most of your time and money? What are the things that you pray about most?
