Nougat 22

There is a Jamaican saying, ‘the good yuh do, the thanks yuh get.’ And no it’s not really about the act of doing good, it actually points to the ingratitude that sometimes results from others despite our help. As we close the curtains on Jesus’ healing at the pool of mercy, let’s ask ourselves; ‘is that what we encounter in today’s Holy Nougat?’

“But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.” John‬ ‭5:14-15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

That the man took the healing offered with NO clear sense of Who it was that healed him is telling. In most of the other healing accounts in the Gospels, the person KNEW Jesus, if only by reputation. This man, stuck on the temple property did not. Not until Jesus met him a second time and adjured him to walk away from sin.

The truth is, so many of us are IN church; Walking Wounded, Active Adherents, Anointed Benchwarmers, and Available Parishioners; BUT we really have NO clue about Jesus. Before going further with the reflection on the nougat, can we self-check – how are we with Christ? Do we really know Him? How’s our relationship going?

Further, although the Sheep Gate might have seen lots of traffic, the fact of the people’s ailments precluded their being aware of what was taking place around them. Are we ignoring any sets of people in our sharing of God’s Good News? I pray we are more open with those on the margins.

When the man DOES realize Who it was that spoke to him, his response seems peculiar – at least to me. For, the man goes right BACK to the temple to tell the priests Who had healed him.

To what end?

They didn’t recognize him; and probably wouldn’t have found him had he opted to mind his business (unless his ‘homeless’ status required him seeking alms at the temple). There seemed to be no reason to report back to them.

Weren’t those the ones who took him to task for walking around with his bed? Did he really think the ‘temple police’ would offer Jesus a note of commendation? Or was he actually throwing Jesus under the bus?

Ironically, we sometimes get like that. We don’t always think of the consequences of our actions, and sometimes place God’s Word and even God in a negative light. At times, our actions suggest that we are clueless about Jesus’ identity and when we get to ‘calling’ on Jesus’ name, it is as tho we flung Jesus under the bus!

Let’s choose instead to let our lights so shine that even those who didn’t know Jesus will learn of Him and come to glorify God for themselves. It is the least we can do.

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May all we seek be found in Christ