October 2 ~ Mark 7:31-37
Jesus left the region around Tyre and
went by way of Sidon toward Lake Galilee. He went through the land near
the ten cities known as Decapolis. Some people brought to him a man who
was deaf and could hardly talk. They begged Jesus just to touch him.
After
Jesus had taken him aside from the crowd, he stuck his fingers in the
man’s ears. Then he spit and put it on the man’s tongue. Jesus looked up
toward heaven, and with a groan he said, “Effatha!”which means “Open
up!” At once the man could hear, and he had no more trouble talking
clearly.
Jesus told the people not to say anything about what he
had done. But the more he told them, the more they talked about it. They
were completely amazed and said, “Everything he does is good! He even
heals people who cannot hear or talk.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When
my mother was admitted to the hospital about a week before she died,
she was adamant that there were to be “no visitors” outside of immediate
family. She made an exception or two, but we did our best to screen
those who entered the room – and subsequently, those who came to
Mother’s home while she was on Hospice Care. For the most part, her
wishes were honored…but still, there were times that I am sure she felt
there were too many people around her.
It’s not that my mother
was asocial…far from it! It’s not even that she did not want people to
see her in a failing condition in her last days…although that was part
of it. More than anything, Mother had things she knew she needed to
attend to while she could…and she didn’t want distractions from anyone
or anything that wasn’t germane to her agenda. Even at that, there were a
couple of times when she told me, “We need to talk” – and then someone
entered the room, and the conversation never took place.
I
don’t dwell on this…but I do wonder sometimes what my mother wanted to
talk about with me…what might have gone unsaid. And yet, I do know that
many significant conversations did occur…that even in Mother’s last
days of consciousness, she made important personal wishes known to
some…and shared Jesus’ plan of salvation with others. I make no
apologies for guarding the door and doing my best to honor her desire
for “no visitors,” because I know there were valid reasons for this
request.
When we read that Jesus healed a deaf man and told those
in the crowd not to talk of it, I can see that He was not necessarily
saying to hide His miracles from others. Jesus knew that word of these
healings would leak out…but He also knew that His miracles would draw
crowds and a lot of attention – and possibly create an unnecessary distraction. I
believe that this story in Mark 7 reminds us to keep the main thing the main thing!
Too
often, we are so busy judging others and condemning their sins that we
squander our opportunities to share how Jesus has blessed and redeemed
us…how He has worked in our lives. When we waste time and energy criticizing others, we totally negate the value and sincerity of our own testimony.
So
many “causes” that we support in the name of Jesus are nothing more
than distractions that draw a crowd of people and divert their focus
from what Jesus is really trying to share with them. We attend this
rally or that one…sign petitions…or post memes on social media…all to
show that we are supporting XYZ for Jesus. And instead, Jesus would
have been better served if we had been His hands and feet in physical
service to those in need.
As we go about our daily living and
discipleship, where are we attracting a crowd rather than focusing on
the mission at hand? Where are we setting the scene for distractions
that detract from what God wants us to accomplish? Will this be the day
that you shift your focus and pare down your activities to those that
are truly relevant to Christ’s mission for you as His disciple? Don’t
you think it should be?
©2016 Debbie Robus
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