Who Does He Think That He Is?

Have you ever been so amazed at something or someone that it literally shook the very core of your foundation and forced you to look at what and why you believe certain things?  That seemed to be the situation that the folks in Jesus’ hometown faced when they listened to the words He spoke and observed the miraculous works that followed Him.  Only… these homefolks never got to the point of self-examination.  They expressed the natural reaction of amazement which was followed by confusion, but then quickly replaced it with anger at what they saw and finally rejected it as false doctrine… because they felt that their understanding was the only way!

What would you have done?  What have you done in similar circumstances?  It has been my experience over the years in both secular management as well as in church leadership that most of us don’t like change!  Having spent twenty years in the volatile test and measurement/electronics industry and ten years in the retail business all intermixed with over thirty years in church leadership, I have been right in the middle of initiating the change process on almost a continual basis! In fact it was in the secular sector that I came to understand the saying that "the only constant we have in this life is change!"

My wife and I have relatives that strive to always keep everything the same in their lives, even as their kids grew up and got married with kids of their own who now are almost all married and literally living all over the country!  Change has always been difficult for them.  I finally came to the place after spending many hours in meetings with disgruntled employees, church members and disagreeing extended family where I decided that in order to succeed in this life, I needed to embrace change!

As I have mentioned before, the greatest change in my personal life came with the attack on my wonderful wife’s health.  Not only have I had to deal with my own feelings, beliefs, and the sudden change of direction and priorities of our lives, but I’ve also been forced to deal with family and friends who have been less than helpful or encouraging when they have had to face the tremendous change.

Mark 6:2-3 tells us that “Many of the people who heard him (Jesus) were amazed and asked ‘How can he do all this?  Where did he get such wisdom and power to work these miracles?  Isn’t he the carpenter, the son of Mary…’  The people were very unhappy because of what he was doing.” (God’s Word ©)

It was obvious to the people in Jesus’ hometown that miraculous events happened when Jesus spoke, but they could not break through their own comfort zone in order to receive the blessing that He emanated.  Robertson’s Word Pictures states that to be amazed literally means that the people “were struck out of themselves.”  But once out… these individuals refused to look back inward and got angry instead!  Hummm… I’ve become very accustomed with that reaction in others!  But I can also say in all honesty that I fell victim to that same process but thankfully was able to submit to the Lord’s direction in discovering why I was upset with my (and their) reactions, looked at why I really did and believed things the way I did, make whatever changes or adjustments and then move on!  I guess I am still in that moving on process!  I don’t think that it is necessarily a place that one ever attains in this life!

Self-examination is a good thing… Change can be a good thing and with Jesus at our sides it doesn’t have to be a scary thing!  That I can wholeheartedly attest to!  So what change are you facing today?  Will you choose to get angry and not yield to the inner changes… or will you embrace Jesus and allow Him to guide you through the good changes He has in store for you?

Have a wonderful day!  Stay in tune to His Word, and keep asking yourself…
What or WHOM am I expecting today?”