Going Home Again
Sometimes Jesus doesn't do what we may expect him to do.
Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. But Jesus refused, and said to him, 'Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.' And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed. - Mark 5:16-20
In other instances where Jesus cures the sick or chases away demons, he tells the person to go and tell no one what has happened.
In this case, though, he says the opposite. Why?
I wonder if it could have something to do with the man's affliction. Everyone knew of him, this crazy man possessed and dangerous living among the tombs.
The townsfolk had tried to restrain the man with chains, and when they failed, they lived in fear of him.
So, now, Jesus sends him to go back to live among them.
Perhaps that is a form of healing as well, not for the man, but for his family and friends, or former friends. How humbling it must be for them to have to accept him back after the way they treated him.
The man wanted to follow Jesus after being saved, but Jesus gave him another challenge instead. Go home.
Sometimes we have to go and face our demons, stared them down and put them back in their place. By going home and showing his family he is back to being himself, he and they must put the demons away.
I was talking with someone yesterday who has been very successful at casting out his own demons within the past year, but he lost patience with someone who is struggling with her demons, and they had words.
I reminded him that he is not the only one who battles daily to stay in control. Others may not be as far down the road as he, and we all need to be patient and empathetic.
He remembered his own struggle and decided he would ignore the woman, but I told him that is not the answer either. We need to help each other out of love, not dismiss each other outright.
The man who went home must have had to deal with many who wouldn't accept him, and some who he wouldn't want to associate with, people like himself who are battling demons.
The biggest challenge we all have is to find a way to live with each other and love one another. That is how we follow in his footsteps.
More to come...