Lessons from an Ungrateful Man

SCRIPTURE: John 5:5-14
One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.” But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ” So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?” The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

OBSERVATION: There are several things that stand out to me in this passage. First, the man does not directly answer Jesus' question to him. The man tells Jesus what he wants (someone to take him down to the water so he can get in first) instead of simply answering if he wants healing or not. How often does the Lord ask me a question and I answer him with an expression of what I think I need from him? I don't think I do that often, but I need to be more aware and check to see if I am. Second, the ingratitude of the man amazes me. Jesus changes his life with a stunning miracle and he rats Jesus out to the Pharisees the first chance he gets! He knew they were not happy with Jesus, yet he wants to ingratiate himself to these men instead of being thankful and loyal to the Lord. Maybe it's because Jesus confronted his sin in their second encounter, but there's no excuse for his behavior.

APPLICATION: I need to examine my motives with the help of the Holy Spirit to make sure I am not concerned about what important people (even in the church) think of me. My loyalty and focus needs to be on what God thinks of me. I also need to make sure I am not telling God how he should meet my needs, but simply make them known to Him and trust Him to meet them in the most appropriate way.

PRAYER: Father, examine my heart and show me where I need to make adjustments. Keep me from the fear of man and the need to ingratiate myself to those who seem to be important. My plumb line is You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.