Kingdom Building

June 22, 2019

Scripture Reading: Luke 8:26-39

Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me’— for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) Jesus then asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘Legion’; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.

Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. –Luke 8:26-33

I guess one never loses one’s heritage. Having been raised on a farm, I cannot read this scripture without wondering why Jesus so easily allowed demons to destroy someone’s livelihood. I know that even being in the presence of swine was most likely unpleasant for Jews who were forbidden to eat pork. Thus, the drowning of an entire herd was most likely not a negative thing to the Jews that were present. In recent weeks herds of swine were drowned in the floods that occurred in our nation’s breadbasket. Here in Oklahoma crops were destroyed before harvest and new crops could not be planted in a timely manner because of the rains we are experiencing. An economic price will be paid for such loss.

What do we do with evil when it can be identified? Is it better for evil to be destroyed rather than allowing it to lurk in the background to find another outlet for its mischief? What is the cost to all of us when we allow evil to rule over some of us? And finally, are we indeed our brother’s keeper? Why did it take someone from another country to help the man who For a long time had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs?

We face the consequences of our own actions whether it not caring for the mentally ill and homeless or ignoring climate change or discrimination. Perhaps Jesus is reminding us that God created us with the ability to do justice and show mercy and while he was willing to demonstrate again how that can happen, he wanted to remind us that doing justice and showing mercy should be ingrained in everything we do.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we bury our heads in the sand and do not see the need for justice and mercy. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.