How to live for God now, until the day for arguments has passed
By Dean Collins
Most arguments contain at least some bits of truth. Some who argue will do so passionately. And if there is an audience, listeners will jump in with new angles on the original debate. Someone may actually have the truth but lose the argument because they were not able to convince the audience. And of course, as emotions rise in the crowd, the original need may quickly be lost in the noise of the dispute.
Mountaintop experience
It seems that this may have happened in Mark 9. Jesus, Peter, James, and John were away from the crowds and away from the rest of the disciples. They were on a mountaintop where they witnessed a supernatural conversation between Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. These three disciples experienced the glow of the eternal and heard the voice of God. It was a preview of Heaven, where there will be no arguments when we and those with us there are fully known and will fully understand.
Coming down from the mountain, Jesus and the three were pulled back into what we experience frequently, people arguing. I suspect we would all confess to sometimes being a part of or even the originator of some arguments. Some people seem to enjoy them. Maybe they simply like to hear themselves speak. I am capable of holding my own in a disagreement, but over time I find myself less willing to argue. I usually change the channel when the discussion turns to debate. I grow tired of listening and participating in arguments because they rarely accomplish what I’m guessing was their original goal, discovering a solution to genuine human need.
Desperate father
In Mark 9 a desperate father brought his son to the disciples. Since the child’s birth this dad had helplessly watched an evil spirit wreak havoc on his son, bringing physical and psychological harm to the boy and creating chaos, fear, and constant frustration for the father and all who loved this child. He asked the disciples to cast out the evil spirit. They tried and failed. Failure is hard enough. Public failure is even harder and leads to embarrassment.
Some of the local religious scholars were present when all of this happened. We don’t know who took the first verbal shot that launched the argument. What we know is what we always know; people love a good fight. Soon a crowd had gathered, and the intensity of the argument grew with the size of the crowd. The boy’s need was lost in the debate.
Evil spirit
When the crowd saw Jesus arriving, they ran to greet him. Jesus asked about the squabble. The boy’s father stepped toward Jesus and gave him the details, including his original request that the disciples cast out the evil spirit. Jesus told the man to bring the boy to him. As soon as the evil spirit saw Jesus, he intensified his attack on the boy. Jesus continued to ask questions about the boy’s circumstance. The father filled in the details and ended with a desperate plea for help: “If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
“‘If you can’!” Jesus replied, repeating the father’s words. “All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Jesus commanded the evil spirit to to leave the boy, and as it did, it convulsed the poor boy one final time, leaving the boy collapsed on the ground. The crowd may have sensed another failure until Jesus took the boy’s hand and helped him up where all could him fully restored.
My story, too
I find myself many places in this story.
• There have been times I desperately needed help and went to friends, even believing friends, when my first step could have been to go to Jesus in prayer.
• I’v e tried to argue for Jesus when someone had prayed for a miracle that didn't happen.
• I’ve also argued with people about problems that needed to be solved when it would have been time better spent simply talking to Jesus about the need and letting him bring the resolution.
• I’ve come to Jesus with timidity, asking him to help but at the same time coming to him with an “if you can” in my mind. I’ve felt the hand of Jesus on me as he no doubt smiled at my tentative request.
• I’ve desperately told Jesus to help my unbelief and to increase my faith.
• I’ve heard the whisper of the father reminding me to argue less and pray more.
One day we will sit together in eternity and laugh about the unnecessary anxiety we sometimes felt. One day we will shake our heads at the oddity of thinking that we had the brilliance to solve problems and meet human need through argument.
One day we will see him face-to-face and be fully known. One day love will remain, and old arguments will fade away.
Your time with God’s Word
Mark 9:14-29; 1 Corinthians 13:7-13 ESV
Photo by Mikhail Nilov at Pexels
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