Wondering, Wandering, and Writing

Are you serious?

I can’t believe you did that!

What were you thinking?!?!

You still don’t believe me?

We’ve all yelled the above statements and asked the questions.  If not exactly those words, then something that means the same thing.  Somebody cut in front of you while driving down the interstate.  A loved one betrayed you.  A friend did something really out of character.  Life can be confusing, exasperating, and bewildering.  We are emotional creatures.  Even when we try to stay calm and carry on, there are moments when the emotions erupt.

I’m still reading through the Gospel According to Mark.   I came to some verses where Jesus is exasperated and disappointed.  Let me set the stage.

A large crowd was with Jesus for three days.  He didn’t want to send them home, for fear they would faint along the way. So, Jesus fed 4000 people with seven loaves and a few fish.  There were seven baskets of food left over. Jesus healed a blind man.  He asked the disciples who he was, and Peter called him Messiah. Then Jesus told them he would suffer and be killed. Then there’s the transfiguration.  Peter, James, John, and Jesus travel to a high mountain.  They are joined by Moses and Elijah.  Jesus’ face and clothes are out-of-this-world white.  After warning the three disciples to keep quiet about the event, they go back to town. 

In town, they are met by a crowd (of course) looking for healing.  One man in particular is very unhappy because the disciples who had stayed in town could not heal his son. After hearing the father’s story, Jesus replies.

“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”  (NIV)

He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. (KJV)

Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” (New Living Translation)

And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.”  (ESV)

“How long shall I suffer you,” “put up with you,” “bear with you.” –thiis sounds like Jesus had had enough of the unbelief.

It is okay to be fed up with people and their attitudes.  It’s okay to be exasperated.  The question is – what do we do next?  Do we argue? Complain? Walk away?  Jesus did none of those.  He simply went straight to work, requesting the boy be brought to him.  It’s no shock to us reading this 2000 years later – he healed the boy.

When we’ve had enough of the craziness life throws at us, it’s okay to feel the emotion and voice it.  We need to follow-up the same way Jesus did.  Be compassionate.  Do the next right thing.

#bgwww26