When satan baited Jesus trying to get Him to make a decision.
One of the things a leader will quickly learn is this, governance and emotions do not mix, it is like oil and water. A person who will make right decisions must be governed by a higher principle beyond emotional reactions or else we will have a society described by Solomon in Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes 10:5-7
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
The true leaders in a society will never be given the opportunity to lead while those who thrive on blinding leadership’s sense of judgement through emotional connections and gifts will thrive.
In John chapter 11 we have the story of Lazarus who was sick nearing death and people were sent to Jesus to get him to come and heal Lazarus. These people expected an immediate response from Jesus, they had believed Jesus’s relationship with Lazarus will compel this.
This was the message Lazarus’s sisters sent to Jesus.
John 11:3
“Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.”
The message was simple “Jesus he whom you love is sick come.” Now, note the response of Jesus and the reason why He took the decision.
John 11:5-6
5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
The Bible says they beckoned on Jesus saying thou whom you love is sick come and Jesus’s decision was to remain in the same place for two days still and this was done because He loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus.
To understand this text you need to know that the word love used by the sisters in compelling Jesus to come differs from the one used to describe Jesus’s love for the family which resulted in Him staying back.
The first word love as used in verse 3 is the word “Phileo” meaning to be “fond of” “attached to” to like a person. Jesus particularly liked Lazarus and was fond of him but he loved (word used here is agape) the entire family. Agape is the highest expression of love which seeks nothing but the highest good of the person it is directed towards.
satan knowing Jesus liked Lazarus tried to get him out in a haste and cause him to fall into the trap he had set which was what Jesus disciples were afraid of. They told Jesus you want us to go back to the very place we just left because an attempt was made on our lives?
John 11:7-10
7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.
8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
Jesus had waited back a few days to make sure his timing was in sync with the Father’s. He must have stayed back and waited in prayer though he was emotionally connected to Lazarus. Jesus must have known from the tone of their voice that Lazarus was really sick close to death but He knew He couldn’t respond emotionally to the situation.
We must learn to do always that which is right in the sight of God and that many times will bring us into a place where we will have to make a judgment call against our emotions. We will have to override our emotions and do the right thing.