What would you do?

What are you willing to do?  That is the question.  We see all sorts of tv shows from reality tv to scripted shows that ask that question.  I remember the show Fear Factor.  That was an absolutely bonkers show.  People would be doing outrageous things to win $50,000. They had an episode where a guy literally was submerged in a tub of cow hearts.  Oh my!  My cousin was telling me about another show called Squid Games.  This was scripted.  In it members of the population would compete doing certain things to win 45.6 billion pounds.  But if they fail they lose their life.  Talking about what are you willing to do to win, those who compete in that contest are willing to give their lives. 

Jesus met all sorts of people during his ministry who would do just about anything for healing.  There was an incident where some folks cut a whole in the roof of someone else's house so they could meet Jesus.  Another was a lady who pressed through an intense crowd just to touch the tail of Jesus’s garment.  These people were serious about trying to meet with Jesus.  One in particular I’m thinking about however is the account of the deaf and mute man that Jesus healed in Mark 7.  In order for this healing to occur Jesus spit into his hand and then what I am assuming is placed that spit on the mute man's tongue.  How many people are willing to have that done?!  That’s a pretty gross thing, yet the man was willing to allow this to happen because he would rather be humbled a little to gain a great reward.  Another one that sticks out to me a lot is the healing of the blind man.  In the next chapter a blind man comes to Jesus to be healed.  Guess how  Jesus heals him?  He spits into the guy's eyes.  This is crazy! Spit would undoubtedly be considered bodily discharge and render one unclean, yet the blind man doesn’t have the slightest problem with it.  He wants to be healed.  

I wonder if this is how we feel about our life. Are we willing to do whatever it takes to find peace, hope, and salvation?  Are we willing to endure shame or ridicule because we know the wonder to be achieved through it? He is infinitely worthy. Do we act like it?

One more thing on this spit stuff.  I had mentioned that normally spit would make someone unclean. With Jesus its the opposite though.  What he touches he makes clean.  All of these people who were unwell became well through contact with Jesus.  Our desperation for him will be matched by his power if we seek him. Run full speed with eyes focused on him and see what could change, what could be by the power of Jesus.