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IMPASSIONED people want to make their feelings crystal clear
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Read Isaiah 55:9
During Jesus’ three years of ministry, there were many people watching with a myriad of opinions and perspectives about who he was, what he did, and why he came. Rumors began to spread throughout the land, but this should be no surprise. When influential or celebrity figures come unto the public scene in society, we’re bombarded with opinions and perspectives on the news, on the radio, and on social media. Some people cheer in support. Some people jeer in opposition. And many impassioned people want to make their feelings crystal clear.
The same thing happens when Jesus shows up amongst the crowds near Jericho. This particular day, Jesus encounters two outcasts of society – the blind beggar and the tax collector. After stopping to respond to the dirty, smelly beggar and restoring his eyesight, Jesus stops to respond to the high-and-mighty, cheater of a tax collector and sits down to eat with him. Both encounters startle the onlookers – some with eyes twinkling in amazement, some with furrowed brow. Our hearts respond like the crowds in this story more often than we realize. We cheer when Jesus heals our wounds and we celebrate the times when Jesus opens our eyes to the truth.
But, we also sometimes jeer when Jesus is surprisingly alive and near to those in poverty or in the upper echelons of society. If not because of socio-economic status, we also jeer at the times when Jesus is more gracious than we think he should be or more forgiving than we want him to be. In these times, we’ll need to surrender our opinions and perspectives to the One whose “ways [are] higher than our ways and [whose] thoughts [are higher] than our thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9).
Reflection and Response
What are you passionate about? When was the last time you became overwhelmed with enthusiasm for another person’s spiritual growth? Think about someone in your circle you could encourage with a note, a phone call or a celebration of their transformation.
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By Yvonne Biel
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