Taking Offense

Mark 6: 1-6a (NASB)
 
Jesus went out from there and came into His hometown; and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man learn these things, and what is this wisdom that has been given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands? Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are His sisters not here with us?” And they took offense at Him.  Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not dishonored except in his hometown and among his own relatives, and in his own household.” And He could not do any miracle there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.  And He was amazed at their unbelief.
 
 
Reflection:

Every visible light casts at least one shadow. The choice each of us faces when confronted with the light is whether we celebrate the light or focus on the shadow it reveals.

A few years back I attended a breakfast where an old farmer was inducted into the county’s agricultural hall of fame. This farmer had been active on many national boards. He had an office full of awards from around the world. He’d been in conference rooms with foreign leaders and shaken hands with multiple United States presidents.

When he got up to the microphone to accept this comparatively insignificant recognition among peers from his hometown, I was surprised at what he had to say. Rather than highlight the many high points of his career, he instead teared up with genuine emotion and said, “It is one thing to be recognized by someone you met with a few times on the other side of the world, but it is so much more meaningful to be honored by the people you have known all your life, the people who saw when your corn rows weren’t quite straight and the people who were there when things didn’t go your way.”

When reading Mark 6, I immediately think of this old farmer. He knew the shadows of jealousy and personal insecurities can sometimes overpower the light of positive accomplishments, especially in your hometown.

Though some people were beginning to see Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, many in his hometown who’d watched Him grow up failed to see Jesus for anything other than a lowly carpenter. How could Jesus - with the same background, facing the same challenges in life - be speaking with such wisdom and have the ability to do miracles when they could not? Rather than celebrating the light of Jesus, His peers focused on being offended. Ultimately, offense like this lurks in the shadow of the light, not the light itself.

Like Jesus’ peers in his hometown, we are confronted with the message of the gospel. Will you yield to and celebrate the light that stands for all eternity, or will you die clinging to the shadows the light reveals?
 
 
Action steps

Take a moment and reread today’s passage. Assess how you truly feel about the message of the gospel. How would you have received Jesus if you had been one of “the many listeners” (verse 2)?
 

Prayer

Lord, thank You for the light of Jesus and His ultimate sacrifice upon the cross. Thank You for allowing His death to take the place of my sins, my shadows. Help me to have a heart of faith that celebrates and seeks the light of Your extravagant, gracious love. Amen.