In Mark 5:35-43 A ruler named Jairus came to Jesus because his daughter had just died. Those around him told Jairus not to bother Jesus, that it was over and she was dead. Jairus was a loving father who was holding on to any hope that Jesus could save her. When Jesus came to the house where all the people were crying and wailing over the dead girl, he proclaimed "The child is not dead but asleep." They laughed at him. Jesus took the girl’s hand, told her to get up and she immediately got up and started walking around. The scripture says that the people were astonished. I would have loved to have been in the room when it happened.
There were three kinds of people in this passage.
1. The Distracting
2. The Discouraging
3. The Faith-filled
The distracting people were the ones who were good intentioned but pessimistic. These were the ones that told Jairus that his daughter was dead and asked "Why bother Jesus anymore?" These are the people in our lives that love and care about us, but aren’t always looking at our lives with an attitude of faith. They look at your circumstances or dreams through their own filters of failure and disappointment, so they like to try to help you "not to get your hopes up." They might mean well, but they are not the kind of people I want surrounding me when I am going through a crisis or in need of faith and encouragement! I don’t want someone that is going to try and distract me from Jesus, I want someone who can come along side me and partner with me for a breakthrough!
The discouraging people are the ones that blatantly laughed at Jesus when he gave them the good news that she was not dead but asleep. Even when he spoke life, encouragement and hope into the situation they still chose not to believe. These people are crabs! Have you ever heard what a crabs do when they are thrown into a bucket? When one crab climbs to the top, the other one pulls it down back into the bucket. You don’t even need a lid, because the are just too busy dragging each other down! Even when something good happens in our lives –when a word of hope or encouragement comes–we have to watch out for crabs who want to tear down and discourage.
Lastly, Jairus gives us a great example of someone who remained faith filled. Despite the report of others–or even what he had seen for himself–he still chose to trust in God for a miracle. Who we surround ourselves with can make a huge difference in our character and destiny. Beware of those that would try to distract you from Jesus, or the crabs that would try to tear you down. Attitudes are contagious–stick around optimistic people with an attitude of faith and you will be amazed at the miracles that can be done for you!
Thank you for reading and responding,
Melissa Miller
Post a comment! Questions for reflection and response:
1. Can you identify any discouraging people or faith-filled people in your life?
2. Who do you spend the most time with, and how do you think that affects you?
2. Who do you spend the most time with, and how do you think that affects you?
2 comments:
Great Devotional. We really do need to surround ourselves with the right people. We should always Identify who the energy takers and givers are. Know the people you are getting life from and identify the ones you are giving life to.
This blog reminds me of a message Ben preached a loooong time ago where he said we have to surround ourselves with people that provoke us to greatness. If the people around us are not challenging us, standing by us in faith and/or supporting us in prayer, we need to question the reason we maintain a relationship with them.
That's why I keep you around =D
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