Sometimes you just need to run for your life. Jesus has the power to make stones to praise God and could have turned a stone into bread just as the Devil suggested to Him in the desert. Jesus was about to be stoned to death and He had the power to speak for the people to be swallowed by the Earth or the stones to turn into sand. However, He chose to run for His life for His hour hasn’t come. Sometimes you need to imitate Jesus in this and run for your life too. ~Godwin Delali Adadzie
The Wisdom of Strategic Retreat: Reflecting on Jesus’s Choices
“Sometimes you just need to run for your life.” This opening of a profound quote by Godwin Delali Adadzie sets the tone for a discussion on the wisdom of strategic retreat, a concept exemplified by Jesus during His time on Earth. It’s not always about standing and facing danger head-on; there are moments when the best option is a calculated withdrawal. In Jesus’s case, this decision was not due to fear or weakness but a recognition that His mission had a specific timeline, and His “hour hadn’t come.” Just like Jesus, sometimes the bravest and wisest thing we can do is to assess the situation and, when necessary, run for our lives.
The Power to Change Circumstances
“Jesus has the power to make stones to praise God and could have turned a stone into bread just as the Devil suggested to Him in the desert.” This part of Adadzie’s quote reminds us of the boundless potential Jesus possessed to alter His circumstances. The New Testament recounts moments where Jesus performed miracles that defy natural laws, yet He also showed restraint. He did not use His powers to escape every difficult situation. His choice to not turn stones into bread, despite being capable of doing so, teaches us an important lesson about restraint and the importance of not using our capabilities for show, convenience, or out of context with our larger goals and responsibilities.
The Temptation of Using Power
“Jesus was about to be stoned to death and He had the power to speak for the people to be swallowed by the Earth or the stones to turn into sand.” In this scenario, Jesus faced a direct and immediate threat to His life. He could have easily retaliated or prevented the danger with a mere word or gesture. However, Jesus’ decision to not use His miraculous powers to harm others or save Himself in this instance is particularly telling. It underscores a message of pacifism and self-control that transcends time. Just because one has power, it doesn’t mean it should always be used. This principle can be applied to our own lives, reminding us that sometimes restraint is more powerful than action.
Choosing to Run: A Lesson in Timing
“However, He chose to run for His life for His hour hasn’t come.” Jesus’s decision to flee rather than fight or perform a miracle is a compelling argument for the importance of timing and discernment. Jesus was acutely aware of His mission and the timeline He needed to adhere to. There was a specific “hour” or moment for everything, including His death. By choosing to run, He honored the divine schedule set before Him. This highlights the importance of understanding our own life’s timing. Not every battle is ours to fight, and not every challenge is meant to be faced head-on at the moment it presents itself. Sometimes, the best action is to wait, move away, and let the moment pass, preserving ourselves for the right time.
Imitating Jesus in the Modern World
“Sometimes you need to imitate Jesus in this and run for your life too.” Adadzie is not just speaking about physical danger, but also about the metaphorical sense of knowing when to remove ourselves from situations that threaten our well-being, goals, or moral compass. In a modern context, this could mean leaving a toxic job, ending a harmful relationship, or simply stepping away from a conflict that is going nowhere. It’s a call to action—or rather, a call to strategic inaction, which can be just as crucial. Imitating Jesus in this context means having the insight and courage to know when to engage and when to retreat for the greater good of our personal journey.
The Art of Choosing Your Battles
It’s an old saying that still holds true: “Choose your battles wisely.” Jesus’s life exemplifies this adage. While He never shied away from conflict when it was necessary to defend truth and justice, He also knew when a battle was not His to fight, at least not at that moment. In our lives, we’re often faced with situations where our instincts tell us to dig in and fight, even when the odds are against us or the timing is off. Learning from Jesus’s example, we can understand that there is strength in choosing not to engage in every argument or respond to every provocation.
The Misunderstood Power of Retreat
There’s a common misconception that running away from a problem is a sign of weakness. However, the quote by Adadzie and the life of Jesus tell a different story. Retreat is not about cowardice; it’s a strategic move that allows for conservation of energy and resources, waiting for a more opportune moment or avoiding unnecessary hardship. In the grand chess game of life, knowing when to pull back can be the difference between a setback and a fatal blow.
The Importance of Self-Preservation
Self-preservation is a fundamental instinct, but it’s often overlooked in the face of societal pressures to appear strong and unyielding. Jesus knew that His purpose was not to fall at that moment, before achieving what He set out to do. In our lives, running for safety isn’t just about physical survival, but also about protecting our mental health, our emotional well-being, and our life’s work. It’s about recognizing that we have limits and that it’s okay to step back and care for ourselves.
The Power of Non-Action
In Taoism, there’s a concept called “wu wei,” which translates to “non-action” or “effortless action.” It’s about aligning with the ebb and flow of life’s events, acting only when necessary and in harmony with the natural course of things. Jesus’s choice to escape rather than confront his would-be attackers is reminiscent of this philosophy. It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes the best action is no action at all, and that patience and inaction can be forms of action in themselves, often leading to a better outcome than forceful intervention.
Conclusion: Embracing the Wisdom of Retreat
Godwin Delali Adadzie’s quote brings to light the multifaceted decisions that Jesus made—decisions that went beyond the black-and-white choices of right and wrong, fight or flight. Jesus’s life is a testament to the power of understanding the right timing and the wisdom of retreat. Running for our lives, in whatever form that takes, can be a profound act of faith and wisdom. It’s a lesson that transcends religious boundaries and speaks to the heart of human experience. By embracing this wisdom, we allow ourselves the space and time needed to thrive and to fulfill our potential, just as Jesus did.