My Daily Pause

The four had a decision to make. They could take their friend, laid out on a stretcher, back home or they could get drastic. Jesus was right through that door, but the crowd was so thick they would never be able to get to him with the load they were carrying. Jesus could heal their friend, but only if they could get to him. (Mark 2:1-12)

The Critical Decision

Christ Heals a Man Paralyzed by the Gout. Mark 2:4. Engraving by Bernhard Rode, 1780.

When I read Mark 2:4, I think of the number of ways a different decision would have changed the way that sentence ended. “And when they could not get near him because of the crowd…”

• …they went home, planning to return another day…
• …they milled about in the rear hoping they would be noticed…
• …they decided they had more important things to do with their time and left their friend to fend for himself …

In the post Time for a Decision, we thought about decision making from the standpoint of failing to act at all. In this event, the four friends highlight a totally different kind of decision. How many choices do we make on a monthly basis that could have a life changing impact on ourselves or others?

• “I could go back to school, but I will be x years old before I get out”
• “I would love to give that person a ride to the doctor, but I already have plans for today”
• “I would love to be a part of that project, but I need to work on Saturday”

From Good to Best

Obviously, there are legitimate tough decisions we have to make sometimes. Being honest with ourselves, how often do our decisions really fit into that category?

And more importantly, how often do we let the “crowd around Jesus” stop us from getting to him?

What if we attacked the things that keep us from making the best decision the same way the four friends did? What if we took on a “tear off the roof” attitude every day?

And when we do, whose life can we change?

Bonus: More I have written on Mark 2:1-12

The Decision of Decisions

Sometimes we are tempted not to make decisions

How we live and who we surround ourselves with have a lot to do with how we’ll react to life. The way we react to life is made up of the chain of decisions we make to get through the day. Sometimes we even decide not to make a decision (which is still a decision!) – we just let happen what may.

What drives our choices?

• The roar of a crowd of strangers
• Approval of others
• The subtle hints of a friend
• What we feel in our heart
• Experience

Pilate had all of these things at work when he faced the decision of whether to acquit Jesus. He knew deep down Jesus was innocent. His wife did her best to confirm it. In the end, he let the masses guide his decision not to decide, and released another who did not deserve freedom. (Matthew 27:15-23) Pilate literally washed his hands of it!

How often do we get the chance to influence the outcome of an event but fail to speak up?

• We vote for those who would legalize abortion or legitimize sinful lifestyles
• We attend parties or events in places Christians shouldn’t be
• We dress in the “fashionable” way
• We don’t correct those in our presence.

Just like Pilate, we often let things happen – the wrong things – because we decided not to act or speak. Even when we have enough influence to have changed the outcome!

James 4:17 describes exactly what I mean.

Daily Bible reading for July 20

Ecclesiastes 12:9-14
Joshua 22
Jeremiah 14:1-15:9
Matthew 27:1-26