Unexpected

Pigs rush en masse down the steep bank. To their demise. Leaving one madman behind.

Now clothed. Calm. Coherent. And in his right mind.

The news spreads. People come from town and countryside to see for themselves. Hear eyewitness accounts.

But their response is unexpected. 

They don’t want Jesus to stay. In fact, they can’t get Him out of there fast enough.

Spirit world

I always pinned their strange reaction to loss of income. What other livestock will He destroy? How can the pig herders recover their losses? Get Him out of here before He does more damage.

Then we lived in places where the spirit world governs the timing of weddings. Foundations of buildings. Street corners. Determining the right name for a child.

Where the dark world is served and acknowledged as they walk through a door.  Turn on a faucet.  Cut down a tree. Open a new store.

Too risky

It makes me wonder. Did this unexpected entry of light and healing into their society interrupt set protocols? Disturb the standard mode of operation?

“The way it’s always been” can be the greatest enemy. Holding back those who’ve seen dark power unleashed. Curses realized. 

Appeasing with rituals and offerings seems a better way, they think. Safer. It’s too risky to quit now. 

Someone might die. A building might collapse. The business might fail. 

Freedom

But, there among the fearful stands one man. 

No longer controlled by darkness. 

No longer barely living among the dead. 

One man experiencing true, tangible freedom. New life.

And he’s begging to go. Wherever Jesus is heading, he’s ready to climb in that boat and sail away.

Unexpected plans

But Jesus has other plans. Unexpected. He commissions him. Sending him out.

“Go home to your own people and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how He has had mercy on you.” 

And he does. 

“So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him and they were all amazed.” (Mark 5:1-20)

Go and tell

From shackles and chains among tombs, to telling others about Jesus. Unexpected.

And it’s still happening today. Miraculous change. As Jesus calls people out of darkness into His marvelous light. 

Go and tell.

What about you?

Have you seen “the way it’s always been” hold people back from turning and following Christ? When was the last time you reported to others how much the Lord has done for you?

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