DO WHAT IS RIGHT EVEN WHEN OPPOSED

DO WHAT IS RIGHT EVEN WHEN OPPOSED

Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. —Mark 3:1-6

And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” And he strictly ordered them not to make him known. —Mark 3:11-12

Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” —Mark 3:20-21

            Demons more readily acknowledge who Jesus is than man, but He would not let them make Him known.  Even his own family thought “He is out of his mind.”   It is amazing after people, including His family, saw the wonderful works He was doing and still did not understand Who Jesus is.

            Jesus put His finger right on the problem of man— “hardness of heart.”  This angered Jesus and grieved Him that people could not think right— that they could not discern and understand what was the right thing to do.

            Wow… how He must be angered and grieved over the world today— (God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm 7:11).  That which seems to be so obvious is not understood and discerned by so many people, including those who are in authority.  Instead, like they did to Jesus, people seek to destroy those who are doing the right thing so they can continue doing the wrong thing.

            Demons fall down before Jesus because they understand who He is and His authority and power.  Prideful man does not bow the knee to Him.  Instead, they puff themselves up with their false sense of importance.

            Brothers and sisters, fellow followers of Jesus, let us live right and do right to honor our Lord Jesus Christ.  May we be faithful to Him above all things, even if that means people conspire against us to do evil.  We know who is ultimately in control and that He will set all things right one day.  “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord (Romans 12:19).  So let us live faithfully and trust Him to set things right.

Dear Father, thank You for Jesus doing right in the face of strong opposition— proving even more who He is.  May I be faithful in doing what is right even when there is opposition as well.  May this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus.  So be it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8Sx_U0Ztr8&list=RDo8Sx_U0Ztr8&start_radio=1