Matthew

I've heard the stories of Jesus performing  miracles over and over, but never really stopped to think what that would have been like to actually witness it back in the day. Can you imagine seeing someone be raised from the dead? or seeing a paralytic able to walk again? There are so many more and all jaw-dropping if you really think about what that would have been like to see with your own eyes. No, I don't need to see to believe. But what an impact that had on so many people. Surprisingly, not all good either.

There is one story in particular that my mind keeps coming back to. Mostly because it bothers me. In Matthew 8:28, Jesus heals two demon-possessed men. In verse 31, "The demons begged Jesus, 'If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.' So he did..."and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water".

I don't fully understand or comprehend what it would be like to see a demon possessed person, but to think that even the pigs would rather die than to have the demons possess them says a lot.

What do you suppose the people who witnessed this thought? Maybe some kind of relief? Gratitude? Might I add that the demon-possessed men "were so violent that no one could pass that way." (v 28) 

Well, shockingly "Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men."

Here's the part I don't understand... "Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region." (v 33, 34)

In the same sense that the pigs would rather die than have demons, the people would rather have their pigs than Jesus!

Oh the sad irony.

Can you imagine anything greater than having Jesus?!

Not at all.

But unfortunately we let worldly things distract us. It's time to let the "pigs" in our life go.