Devotion - Thursday, November 15

Luke 11:53 reveals the evil intentions of the crowd.  Luke tells us that among those who were hearing Jesus' speak were some who were trying to "catch him at something he might say."  They had already made their minds up about him.  They didn't like him.  They didn't like what he was saying.  So nothing he could say was going to be heard.  The only thing they were listening for were opportunities to trap him.

How hopeless a situation was that?

When Jesus tries to say something, to quell their fears or to address their issues, he is seen as two faced.  He points out that this is the crowd who considered John a lunatic because his disciples were so rigid and then they considered his disciples slackards because they were not fanatics.

We know the end of this story;  we know where this type of behavior leads.  Eventually, those who will not listen succeed in murdering the messenger.  But God will not allow the message to be silenced.

Sometimes the important lesson to be learned is the simple one:  prejudging and condemning places us on the wrong side of God's struggle to bring the world to the place where Jesus reigns.

Can we learn to hear and to listen?  Can we develop the ability to abide by Luther's explanation to the 8th commandment and "interpret our neighbor's actions in the kindest way"?

Let's hope so.  Let us make it so.