Stoning Jesus

Why are we so quick to stone Jesus?  Just because someone encroaches upon our own religious views does not mean they are blaspheming.

John 10:31-33

31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.”

The term “again” refers to the first time in this discourse that they wanted to stone Him, as we read in Shut Up and Listen.  It is quite obvious that Jesus is ticking people off. I think we could all agree that if someone presented themselves to us as being God, we would reject them as well, wouldn’t we?  Especially if we already have our own God established.  Whether it is the One True God or a different God, it would be quite difficult for us to accept someone presenting themselves to us in this way.

A good friend of mine has taught me (and continues to teach me) how to keep my ears and eyes open and my mouth shut.  Challenges to my own beliefs are opportunities to grow.  Sometimes, we don’t grow in the way that we think we ought, but we grow nonetheless and are always better for it.  In times like the instance we read here today, we feel defensive.  Nobody ever likes being told they are wrong, and this is evident in the display of discontent toward Jesus we see here.

I talked in my discourse about Religion that our beliefs are sacred to us, regardless of what they are.  We find security and comfort in them and when they are challenged, we are like a mother goose protecting her young.  However, if we truly want to grow and we truly have faith in God as our protector, provider, and ultimate being, then we are doing Him a great disservice from closing ourselves off from the teachings of others.

How often do you reject the words of others before hearing them?  How much do we want to stone others for “blaspheming,” thinking we know it all?  If we quiet down enough to listen, we just might find that we have the opportunity to grow exactly the way we are meant to.

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