Sherlock is a maverick “consulting detective” whose razor sharp mind and seemingly impossible forensic abilities enable him to unlock the most complex crimes. His arch enemy, James Moriarty, is similarly gifted, but uses his genius as a “consulting criminal”, to aid criminals and manipulate situations for his own ends.
Although Sherlock works “on the side of the angels”, he sometimes uses detective work for his own entertainment, and discards cases that don't interest him. Similarly, Moriarty sees trying to baffle Sherlock as a game, and starts basing his crimes around trying to outwit him. He doesn't care about people he hurts or even kills in the process.
Sometimes our sin is Moriarty-like, ie it is obvious, like theft or hurting others with uncaring words. However, often it is more Sherlock-like, more hidden. Often our motives for doing things are mixed. Maybe we offer to do the shopping so we can choose something for ourselves!
Our life in Christ doesn't have to be so complicated. It doesn't need to be a tension between our selfish desires and what we think we ought to do. If we seek to do what seems most important, and do that believing it is God's best for us, I think there is more peace to be found there than either engineering situations for our selfish desires, or merely acting out of a sense of duty.
I guess it is about trusting God for our fulfilment. Matthew 6:33 says:
“What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.” [The Message].
Jon Seaton
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