Thursday, March 7, 2024
Is it possible to withhold sharing something with others that we know is life-changing? It seems unlikely, as we are quick to share less significant things, like an awesome TV series or an amazing restaurant. However, sometimes we don’t. Perhaps you hold back out of selfishness, or maybe you’ve made up your mind that it is harmful and needs to be destroyed. We encounter exactly this when we step into Mark 3.
Mark 3:1-2, 5-6
1 Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. 2 Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.…
5 He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 6 At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus.
The Pharisees were devout followers of the Jewish faith. They worked hard to honor God by following strict rules set forth by their Scriptures. In their minds, the people Jesus associated with and his actions went against their interpretation of the law, including working on the Sabbath.
Because they held fast to these religious laws, they couldn’t see the bigger picture of who Jesus was and what he came for. Their hearts were hard. They preferred to catch him breaking the law rather than witnessing God’s love.
What would have happened if, instead of focusing on catching Jesus doing something “wrong,” they noticed God’s love in his actions? Likely, their own hearts would have been opened and they would have wanted to share that abounding love with others.
How about you? Do you look for the ways Jesus hasn’t delivered rather than how he has?
A hard heart doesn’t keep you from knowing information about Jesus, but it does block you from truly knowing him. It can also result in living in bitterness.
Follow Jesus’ example and stop waiting for a safe day or place to share God’s love. Let’s make the most of every opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus with those we encounter.
Questions:
Has something from your past blocked you from seeing the truth of God’s love? Do you pick and choose when you share the Gospel with others?
Next Steps:
Stop waiting for the weekend message or church events to know God or to share his love. Join a Group to live in community with others. Share what you learn from Scripture. Invite someone to church, and pray for them to join you.
Prayer:
God, sometimes you challenge me to be more uncomfortable, and I don’t step up because I think the times when I do are enough. Please keep giving me opportunities to share the Good News of your love in uncommon ways. Thank you for never taking time off to heal our hearts. Amen.
This post was written by Jaron Camp and Kelly Pagel, regular contributors to the LivingItOut Devotional.