Miracles - Meekness

The third miracle John wrote about was a lame man laying near a pool, which corresponds to the third beatitude recorded by Matthew:

Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie - the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. 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...

... 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 Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.

This is an interesting story. From what I have read, every so often an angel would "stir the water" and whoever was the first in the pool would get cured. Sounds kind of wild - like a biblical game show - I'll leave that alone for now.

The man in this story is the picture of powerlessness. He can't walk in a city that's on a hill - there are stone stairs everywhere. He has no friends that will help him in the water. When Jesus asks him if he wants to get well, he can't even say "yes", instead he complains about his situation.

Jesus speaks to him twice.

The first time he heals his body, so he can walk. Jesus doesn't ask him any probing questions or make obscure statements. He doesn't even wait for the "yes", he just does it. The man is now mobile - he has gained access to the city he's never been able to walk through. He inherits a little bit of the earth.

The second time Jesus focuses on his soul. Even a lame person should have friends and be able to interact. I think Jesus is getting at this greater issue. This man needs to change his heart, or he will miss the whole point of his pain and healing.

God, there are areas in my life where I seem powerless to change - mainly my ego. I'm lame, locked into a single position, only able to complain about it. Like this guy, I guess I wait for an angel to come and zap me with the solution. I need to be healed, then get up and walk. Come and heal me.

---

Wednesdays | Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

---