Cleaning out the temple

TODAY'S READING: Matthew 21:12-17
Many of us have a hard time with this Jesus. We like kind, gentle Jesus with the child on His knee. We enjoy the Jesus who healed the blind. We can deal with the Jesus on the cross. We rejoice at the risen Jesus. But what about the angry Jesus?
It can be hard to see Jesus angry. Maybe it's because most of the renditions of Jesus show Him as this skinny little guy. My guess is Jesus was much more muscular than we imagine Him. Do you know many carpenters that are skinny little guys? And the ones we know have power tools.
In this scene I picture Jesus as this muscular guy walking into the temple, angry at what He sees. That being said, I fully believe Jesus was in control of His anger. I don't see it as some blind rage just throwing things everywhere. No, this was more like a controlled anger that was very pointed and intentional. Jesus was extremely upset at what He saw.
People who claimed to be God's people were anything but that. They had taken the temple God intended as a place of worship and made it a place for their benefit. They were profiting from worship. They were turning God's place into a self-serving center.
Jesus' anger was justified and needed. Jesus is very patient with those who don't know Him or who are sincerely seeking Him. But things are different with those who take advantage of Him. God expects more from those who claim to be His people.
We may say about the Pharisees, "They deserved it." But what about us? How do we treat the temple?
You may say, "The temple is gone." Well, sort of. Didn't Paul write, "Or don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
If Jesus could walk into your temple today, what would His reaction be? Would He need to clear out your temple? Have you made it into something it shouldn't be? Do you use it more for your purposes than His? I am sure that there are "tables" that need to be turned over in all of our lives. What would Jesus overturn in your temple?

shine!
Jason