Becoming a Mature Christian 3

Luke 4:31-44  

If we are to read this passage looking for help on our journey to maturity, we will have to set aside the obvious problems of miraculous healing and the reality of demons.  Let’s just say that a ‘force of evil’ was messing with this person and Jesus commanded it to stop.  Similarly, Jesus rebuked whatever was causing Peter’s mother-in-law to become feverish and she became well.  Lots of evil forces can get in the way of our being and becoming healthy, both mentally and physically.  Jesus seemed able to identify those forces and shut them down.  He spoke with authority.  He also used his authority to prevent the evil forces from speaking, even when they were speaking the truth about him.  Maybe he knew that they would somehow misconstrue that truth and use it against him. 

It is not always easy for us, mere mortals, to identify the demons that are possessing us and causing us to become hot and bothered.  It is not always easy to find the courage and strength to face those demons with authority and banish them.  Maybe it helps to see that both the first man and Peter’s mother-in-law (too bad she doesn’t have a name!) weren’t permanently damaged by those demons.

I think this pandemic has brought along with it a few demons. The protests that are currently going on and the rise of populism that they represent are complicated demons that we must face.  We who seek to be mature Christians will have to figure out how to honestly identify what it is that is causing our and others feelings of dissatisfaction with life.  Only then can we get behind the rhetoric and address the issues.  Let’s hope we can identify our demons, banish them and get on with loving one another.

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