Title: Two Attitudes / Topic: Motivations

Today’s Reading: Job 19; Mark 1; Mark 2

Scripture: Mark 2:1-7
A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Observation: Four friends that love their paralyzed friend will do anything to get to Jesus. They have a receptive attitude. They don't know for sure what will happen but they know getting to Jesus and receiving from him can't be anything but good. Then there are the teachers of the law. These are religious leaders who spend their time studying the scriptures. But they are listening to Jesus not to receive but to critique and parse through his words in order to find something wrong that they can take issue with. This attitude leaves them unable to appreciate the great gift of forgiveness that Jesus gives to the paralytic as well as the miraculous healing that followed.

Application: Why do some people in a church service come away feeling so blessed and close to God and others in the same service have nothing but a cynical or ambivalent attitude toward church? I think some of the answers can be found in the two different attitudes displayed in this story. Coming to Jesus with an expectation that good will happen or coming with a critical spirit goes a long way toward determining what we will receive from the Lord. We must do all we can to avoid a critical spirit both toward God, the preacher and other people in the Body. Harboring any of those negative attitudes will limit our ability to have the Spirit minister to us.

Prayer: Father, reveal our hearts to us. See if there is any wicked way in us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. May we always come with an expectant attitude.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.