Day 12 – A question of values
Mark 5:1-20
They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
Bern Leckie writes:
We’ve probably all been bored by church or religion at some point, but I love the way this story shows how following Jesus was anything but dull.
Can you imagine the chaos? The shouting, the drama, the almighty splash of two thousand pigs falling into the water, and horror for the pig farmers – how would you feel if your livelihood threw itself away like that?
I get the feeling this was no random encounter. The story reveals a lot about values – ours and God’s. While the town put up with this man’s suffering, Jesus valued this one man above the difficulties releasing him would cause.
We might get our sense of value from our work, possessions or believing that we are better than other people, especially people who can’t be decent and fit in. But God gives us value for who we are, who he made us to be, in his image. Did Jesus not just heal a man but restore value to the least valued person in town?
Can you ask God what he might want to rearrange in your life, so you can know your real value, and affirm value in others too?