“What do you want with me Jesus, Son of the Most High God?”
Mark 5:1-20
There are several dimensions to this story of a man healed of evil spirits which possessed him. It is notable that when the people realise that Jesus has cured the possessed man, they become afraid and implore Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. What a contradiction!
They collectively become uncomfortable when the man has become whole again. Why? Perhaps his demonic possession provided a convenient scapegoat for them, so they could direct all blame for their own brokenness towards him? Now that he has been cured, they are forced to take a deep inward look at themselves, not just collectively, but also individually.
This is hard to do because, truth be told, we all like to have a scapegoat on which we can pin all our faults – all that is wrong with us – and this becomes convenient for us. The moment the scapegoat disappears, we must examine ourselves, face up to the consequences and stop living in falsehood.
Who or what is your scapegoat?
Dear Lord, help me to see the truth of my life.
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash