It Seemed Like A Good Idea

Matthew 17:1-6 – And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you, and one for Moses and one for Elijah." He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."

Have you ever had a great idea for a certain project, only to have it turn out the very opposite of what you intended? Sometimes our inspirations lead us to jump in without considering all the implications. I've been told that one of the first principles of medical practice is to "do no harm." It is wise counsel in any endeavour. For, too often, what may seem like a good idea at the time can later prove to be a minor disaster. How can we avoid getting ourselves into situations like this? We might take a page from the Apostle Peter's notebook.

The scripture reading above gives the account of the transfiguration of our Lord as witnessed by Peter, James and John. This must have been a truly awesome and inspiring experience. It gave Peter a great idea … he thought. But before doing anything about it, he brought it to Jesus with the very important words, "if you wish …" let us do so-and-so. Then he was told what the Lord wished him to do. Listen.

This is a good pattern for Christians. We too would be the wiser if we brought all our good plans and ideas to our Lord and listened for his guidance before initiating the action.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Help us to remember to submit all our plans to you before we begin. May we never do harm while intending to do good. Amen.

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