Jesus spoke and acted based upon the need of the moment, as he was directed by his Father. Risk assessment may have been the driver motivating the hireling. Love was his sole motivation for Jesus. As the correlative reading indicates, we are to follow Jesus' example if we are to be counted faithful.
From the premise that God is Life, that God is infinite, it follows that life is inevitable.
Would it not be a great break-through in human development if the goal of higher education was to reveal to the students, even after all their learning, that they knew very little of the total?! The graduation ceremony would no longer encourage pride of achievement, but would instead emphasize humility.
It is interesting to note that experienced professionals in the physical sciences are much more likely to turn to religion than are their counterparts in the liberal arts. Apparently, their extensive knowledge of "facts" often drive them to a recognition that there is so much unexplained, so much that suggests something beyond their cognizance, a higher Intelligence.
The arrogance of the educated human mind makes it susceptible to evil influence, and to the ultimate evil, that man is God - why? because there is no higher intelligence than its educated self! This state invites a fall! The nature of evil is to ape good, otherwise it could never gain entrance. It speaks to the educated mind in its own cultivated reasoning. Unless humility is present, listening to the inner or spiritual sense, the evil has a field day! This explains how so many brilliant minds make a wreck of their lives, or if positioned in high places, make foolish decisions that defy the Golden Rule!!
What to do? First, recognize that a higher education and worldly achievement, in and of themselves, gain no points with divine Intelligence. Second, acknowledge the ageless wisdom of the Bible: "What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God."
We recommend that every certificate of excellence, of academic degree, etc., should include the statement: "Of mine own self, I can do nothing. The Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works." (Jesus), followed by "No wisdom is wise but His wisdom." (S&H)