Meditation for a Monday
Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. John 9:28
Sometimes an insult turns out to be a wonderful compliment. Such as the Pharisees speaking of the Lord Jesus: This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them. Or the folks in Antioch, speaking of the zealous little group of followers of the Lord Jesus, in derision calling them Christians. May we all ever be worth of such an insult! In today’s account, the Pharisees accuse the formerly blind man of being Jesus’ disciple, and they had enough evidence against him to excommunicate him from the synagogue. They couldn’t imagine a worse insult. And we couldn’t imagine a higher compliment! What about you, if somebody were to accuse you of the ‘crime’ of being a Christian, would they find enough evidence to convict you?
Would the world find you guilty of using the language of a Christian? Would they hear you quoting Scripture, and hear you giving thanks for your food at meal times? Would they hear you inviting people to Gospel meetings and telling how the Lord reached and saved you. Would they hear you speaking without off-coloured jokes and without using the profanity and obscenities that litter the language of the world? Like Peter, would thy speech beray thee?
Would the accusers find you associating with other known ‘criminals’? Would they see you gathering frequently with others to spend time listening to and discussing the words of your Leader? Would they hear you shun the organizations of society and religion to recognize the simplicity of gathering to the Name of the Lord Jesus? Would they find you in regular attendance at Gospel and prayer meetings? Would they find you preferring to keep the company of fellow-believers rather than the companionship of party-goers and revelers of the world?
It’s actually a very good thing if the world finds us too Christ-like to be part of their company. Let us make the effort today to give them the evidence they need to cast us out of their synagogue. -Jim MacIntosh