Mark 3:1-6
Find a way to separate yourself from whatever’s going on around you so you can fully enter into today’s passage. if you haven’t read the introduction to Mark’s Gospel, read it here.
Read Mark 3:1-6 noting Jesus’ internal reactions.
Throughout Mark’s gospel so far, we’ve watched the religious leaders move from curiosity to suspicion to outright animosity. Mark now calls them Jesus’ enemies and they are watching him closely.
But Jesus doesn’t live in the shadows. Rather than try to hide his actions, he calls the man with the deformed hand front and center, and he asks these religious people about the “contents,” or spirit, of the law about Sabbath. Should one do good or evil on the Sabbath? Is the Sabbath a day of restoration or destruction?
Their stony reaction breaks his heart. The simply do not care to examine the spirit of the law or their hearts, and Jesus’ sadness surges into anger which he channels into compassion. He is compassionate toward the many, but especially toward the one, and in broad daylight, he restores the man’s hand. These “enemies” of all that is right and good and shalom are exposed and their anger moves them to thoughts of destruction.
Read Mark 3:1-6 again imagining yourself as the man with the deformed hand.
When you are truly in need physically, emotionally or spiritually, are you more concerned about rules and right ways of doing things, or are you more focused on your need?
Move now beyond yourself to think about those in need in your family, your community, the world and consider whether you are more concerned about the needs of people or the rules and right ways of doing things?
Anger is often a secondary emotion that is triggered by either sadness or fear. When you become angry, which of the primary emotions is usually the trigger? Are you able to move your anger toward compassion or does your anger take you somewhere else?
What might Jesus be saying to you about this, and what will you do in response?
If these meditations are helpful to you, please forward them to couple of friends.
Interested in going deeper? Check out The Everyday Jesus Follower’s Guide and blog.
