WHEN PIGS FLY
DAY 87: Looking at today's scripture, I couldn't decide what I was to focus on. Did God want me to see a truth in how he calmed the storm after the disciples wake him up in a panic? Maybe there was something about the life of the naked crazy guy on the other side of the lake that relates to my life. It does feel crazy sometimes... though fully clothed. After much thought and meditation, God drew me to focus on the story of . . . the pigs.
I know a little something about pigs - one lives on my back porch. Three years ago our pet-loving daughter brought one home. As a piglet he was adorable. He was playful and funny and no bigger than a lap dog. We fell in love with him. For the first few months he was a well behaved house pig who loved the cats and loved to snuggle with my daughter.
The dogs, however, just never seemed to warm up to him. We thought it was just that the pig was smarter than the dogs and they were bitter. Time, however, proved they were trying to warn us! As piggy grew so did his attitude. He went from being a sweet playful piglet to a large angry pig. Eventually, because he was so cranky, he was banished to the outdoors where he promptly claimed the back porch. When I say that he claimed the back porch, I mean he OWNS the back porch. I had no idea that pigs were territorial. If anyone gets too close to his bedding or even where he happens to be sunning himself, Pig gives chase.
Yep, I know about pigs. Too bad none of that is relevant to to the lesson God had for me today, but my personal pig experience did make me look twice at the passage- and that's where God spoke.
After Jesus calms the storm, He and the disciples arrive in what is likely a gentile area. (Jews wouldn't have been raising pigs.) When they arrive, they are greeted by the town crazy person - a guy who was naked and somewhat violent. He was an inconvenience to the whole town at the very least, and a danger at the most.
Luke 8:28 As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had already commanded the evil[d] spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man.
It turns out the guy wasn't crazy at all. He was filled with an entire legion of demons! Jesus, with the power of His words, released the man from the torment he suffered by casting the whole lot of them into a herd of pigs - which then went flying over a cliff into the lake to drown. We should probably take note of a few things: Jesus had full control of this evil force; the demons recognized Jesus for who He was; with just the power of His words Jesus cast them from the man; Jesus chose their fate and had authority over it; and because of Jesus decision to get involved the man was given his life back. All of those details are important and tell so much about Jesus as Messiah. Another day, I'm sure it will be those details that capture my heart.
Today though it was the pigs. More specifically, it was the reaction of the people when they heard what happened to the pigs.
Luke 8:33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. 35 People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 36 Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them.
Well, that is pretty self explanatory. No commentary needed to understand this story. The headline might read: Crazy Naked Guy Now Sane; Pig Owners Loose Entire Profit for Year That about sums it up. As soon as the herdsman see the pigs go over the cliff to their watery graves they run to town to alert everyone. But here is the amazing part: when they all return and find the formerly crazy guy fulled dressed, sane and sitting at Jesus' feet all they can think about is the herd of pigs his freedom cost them.
They don't thank Jesus. They don't praise God. They don't hug the transformed man. THEY BEGGED JESUS TO LEAVE showing what they value most.
Jesus had just cost them a fortune with his healing stunt and they were terrified if he stayed around it might cost them more. They did not recognize the value of what had happened to the man who had been in bondage because they were too busy counting their loss. Given the choice, they would have chosen the inconvenience of a town crazy over the financial loss of their herd. It was clear what they valued.
For them it was actual pigs - but what is it for me? God asks if there is anything in my life I value more than reaching out to the lost, the hurt, the poor and the lonely.
Is my "pig" my money? Time? Convenience? Reputation? Security? Comfort? Position? Possessions?
What in my life is off limits to Jesus when it comes to what I will sacrifice to see people's lives changed? If I can't offer it all up to God with no reservations, I might be in danger of looking right past something great as I focus on protecting my "pig." I don't want to be like the herdsmen who had to see pigs fly before they took notice of what God was doing.
It isn't in our best interests to get to attached to the "pigs" in our lives- those things we have wrongly invested our heart into; they might just turn on you and cause you run from what God is doing... or worse, make you beg for Jesus to leave you and your pigs alone.
Day 87 of 365
Deuteronomy 11
Deuteronomy 12
Luke 8:22-39
Psalm 70:1-5
Proverbs 12:4
The dogs, however, just never seemed to warm up to him. We thought it was just that the pig was smarter than the dogs and they were bitter. Time, however, proved they were trying to warn us! As piggy grew so did his attitude. He went from being a sweet playful piglet to a large angry pig. Eventually, because he was so cranky, he was banished to the outdoors where he promptly claimed the back porch. When I say that he claimed the back porch, I mean he OWNS the back porch. I had no idea that pigs were territorial. If anyone gets too close to his bedding or even where he happens to be sunning himself, Pig gives chase.
Yep, I know about pigs. Too bad none of that is relevant to to the lesson God had for me today, but my personal pig experience did make me look twice at the passage- and that's where God spoke. After Jesus calms the storm, He and the disciples arrive in what is likely a gentile area. (Jews wouldn't have been raising pigs.) When they arrive, they are greeted by the town crazy person - a guy who was naked and somewhat violent. He was an inconvenience to the whole town at the very least, and a danger at the most.
Luke 8:28 As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had already commanded the evil[d] spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man.
It turns out the guy wasn't crazy at all. He was filled with an entire legion of demons! Jesus, with the power of His words, released the man from the torment he suffered by casting the whole lot of them into a herd of pigs - which then went flying over a cliff into the lake to drown. We should probably take note of a few things: Jesus had full control of this evil force; the demons recognized Jesus for who He was; with just the power of His words Jesus cast them from the man; Jesus chose their fate and had authority over it; and because of Jesus decision to get involved the man was given his life back. All of those details are important and tell so much about Jesus as Messiah. Another day, I'm sure it will be those details that capture my heart. Today though it was the pigs. More specifically, it was the reaction of the people when they heard what happened to the pigs.
Luke 8:33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. 35 People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 36 Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them.
Well, that is pretty self explanatory. No commentary needed to understand this story. The headline might read: Crazy Naked Guy Now Sane; Pig Owners Loose Entire Profit for Year That about sums it up. As soon as the herdsman see the pigs go over the cliff to their watery graves they run to town to alert everyone. But here is the amazing part: when they all return and find the formerly crazy guy fulled dressed, sane and sitting at Jesus' feet all they can think about is the herd of pigs his freedom cost them.
They don't thank Jesus. They don't praise God. They don't hug the transformed man. THEY BEGGED JESUS TO LEAVE showing what they value most.
Jesus had just cost them a fortune with his healing stunt and they were terrified if he stayed around it might cost them more. They did not recognize the value of what had happened to the man who had been in bondage because they were too busy counting their loss. Given the choice, they would have chosen the inconvenience of a town crazy over the financial loss of their herd. It was clear what they valued.
For them it was actual pigs - but what is it for me? God asks if there is anything in my life I value more than reaching out to the lost, the hurt, the poor and the lonely.Is my "pig" my money? Time? Convenience? Reputation? Security? Comfort? Position? Possessions?
What in my life is off limits to Jesus when it comes to what I will sacrifice to see people's lives changed? If I can't offer it all up to God with no reservations, I might be in danger of looking right past something great as I focus on protecting my "pig." I don't want to be like the herdsmen who had to see pigs fly before they took notice of what God was doing.
It isn't in our best interests to get to attached to the "pigs" in our lives- those things we have wrongly invested our heart into; they might just turn on you and cause you run from what God is doing... or worse, make you beg for Jesus to leave you and your pigs alone.
Day 87 of 365
Deuteronomy 11
Deuteronomy 12
Luke 8:22-39
Psalm 70:1-5
Proverbs 12:4
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