and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.’” vss. 20-21
Mark 3:20-27
According to Mark it took a while for Jesus’ family to adjust to his popularity as he began his ministry. And that’s probably to be expected. He had had what seems to have been a normal childhood and adolescence in Nazareth–there was likely nothing extraordinary about his family interactions. But then he’d gone off to see John the Baptist, maybe became his disciple, and ultimately had the baptismal encounter with God that changed his life. And when he returned he was on fire with the gospel, and some were saying he’d lost his mind. Some of us have had that happen in our families. And when a son or daughter comes home full of new ideas and passions it can be a jolt. And if they’ve had a spiritual encounter it can be downright frightening, especially if it seems they’ve become involved in a new cult or religion. Some have even been known to change political affiliations! And we wonder just like Joseph and Mary, “Is this change really of God, or has some demonic spirit taken over?” In the end we can do little more than pray…because when people have been touched by the Spirit, there’s little that can be done to restrain them. Ultimately, the authenticity of their calling will be revealed by its fruits.
Thought for the Day: How might I react to radical change in a family member?
0 Comments