Devotion:
Read Mark 5:1-20.
One can only imagine the names people called this man. You can be sure that nobody would go near him. Everybody was most likely scared of him. Parents told their children to stay away from that area.
But Jesus did not let the man’s reputation prevent him from meeting and healing the man. He confronted what was torturing the man. Jesus cast the evil spirits out of him. And whereas Jesus often told those he healed to keep quiet about what had happened, he told this man to go and tell others what God had done for him.
I wonder how often we (I) let the reputation of someone, or some group keep us from meeting with them personally and confronting whatever it is that has caused us to be separated. We say we believe God is all-powerful, but too often, we act as if there are certain powers and situations in this world that we are not sure God could help us deal with. So, we stay away.
Not all of us are asked to deal with the level of darkness Jesus confronted in this story. But we are invited by our Lord to go and be with people who are struggling in various ways. Who is that person with the bad reputation that God is calling you to befriend?
Personal Worship Option:
Offer a prayer to God, asking for wisdom and courage to initiate a relationship with someone who is looked down on by others.
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