Evans Akpo

But They Kept Silent

Mark 3:1-8

It bothers me when people who do little for us; ask so much from us. Not only does it sometimes sound embarrassing, but it makes us vulnerable, especially when we find rejecting people disturbing. I hate to say; “No” to people. But, with life experience, I have grown to understand that “No” is important in some cases, if not in most cases. But when it relates to Jesus, he often tells us “yes” in our deepest need.
In this passage, Jesus had just healed a man whose hand was withered. The religious leaders were not concerned about the condition  of the man. It seems they wanted him to remain in that state. Because their concern was about trying to entrap the good man that had brought the healing by restoring the man to a perfect condition. They were more concern about the Sabbath day, rules and religion dogmas without considering kindness, social and economic relief. But when Jesus saw their reaction to a good work, he asked them a deep question:
4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
They kept silent, not because, they were acting out what Mark Twain echoed when he wrote “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open ones mouth and remove all doubts”. No! these people had already open their mouth, the obvious was the case with them. Jesus had to silent them.
These religious leaders obviously had nothing to offer. Jesus had saved a life and I was expecting joyful celebration. But not in this case with the religious folk. They were after what they could do to make Jesus silent.

REASON FOR THEIR BEHAVIOR.
I asked myself a personal question when meditating on this verse and it was, why where these people not rejoicing when Jesus had just healed someone. Jesus pointed it out in the verse, because he realized they had hardness of heart.
The resulting effect of hardness of heart could lead to lack of appreciation or (failure to recognize) what God is doing in the lives of other people. A miracle had just taken place in the temple and another conspiracy was taking place to entrap the messiah. Sometimes, our worst moment could be used to create the best moment, or the reverse.
LIFE APPLICATION.

We need to be excited over other people’s successes. As humans, we have the opportunity to act in a goodly way that would silent all our accusers. Let’s make a commitment to rejoice with other people successes, because it is a reflection of who we are. The people who should be made to keep silent are people who have nothing to offer.  Not we, because we have joy, peace and happiness to offer when people have their breakthroughs.

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