When Satan tries to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, he invites him to use power. Not power that Satan has to give or Jesus has a right to use, but power Jesus could use. Power that is within his ability. Power to control.

One of the most common struggles I hear from people is that they feel like their lives are “out of control” or that they don’t know how to “control their emotions.” This story reminds us of the relationship of control to power.

The desire to control one’s life, its outcomes, or to control one’s children or spouse, is about power. Power over them. To do what we want and to produce according to our will. This is the same temptation!

It isn’t that Jesus is choosing the harder path. He is choosing the more generous path. A path of love for the autonomy of others. As he will teach a few chapters later, what is love if they have to love you? What is faith if we have total control?