Nougat 3

Good day my dear

Often when making a decision we weigh the costs and attempt to determine whether it is viable. Today’s Holy Nougat suggests that sometimes that approach of looking at the bottom line can be skewed

“And they began to beg Yeshua to leave their country.” Mark‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭TLV‬‬

It is possible for us to miss a key point in a first reading of this nougat, especially if we don’t have the background. Previously, Jesus (Yeshua) had commanded a legion of demons out of two possessed men and into a herd of pigs. Nowadays we would probably have said they had mental health issues. Suffice it to say that when the demons entered the pigs; the pigs drowned. All 2,000 of them! Upon hearing and/or seeing the men’s transformation, the townsfolk begged Him (Jesus) to leave.

So was Jesus run out of town out of fear and awe; or because He threatened their economic viability? I suspect that someone began to ask about repayment for lost stock (2000 pigs aren’t just herded together awaiting demons to enter and lead them to their death). But to whom would they make the claim?

• the former demoniacs?

• Jesus?

• the then non-existent insurance claims adjusters?

More like none of the above.

Running Jesus out of town sounds like a business decision to me. Especially since they were not quite sure if any other miracle would cost them other stock! And from that perspective, it seems to make sense (or dollars even). But that does NOT factor the humanitarian or salvific aspect of what Jesus had done. And if we fail to see the human beings in the decision to run Jesus out of town, then we run the risk of losing our sense of right and wrong for the sake of a few cents.

Far too often, that has been our failing – as followers of Jesus, and as Church – losing sight of the Who in favor of the What. We look at the ‘Bottom Line’; that is our focus is on achieving Net Profit without attempting to factor humans in our analyses and decisions. Perhaps it is our unwillingness to prioritize human transformation that has come back to haunt us.

Our choice of profit (self interest) over each other’s well being began in Eden and continues to contribute to our downfall. Self interest was behind Adam‘s denouncement of Eve. It was at the genesis of Bathsheba’s rape; motivated Judas’ betrayal of Jesus;. Self interest birthed a 400-year human trafficking system, which sparked the Industrial Revolution, which then prioritized racism, caste-ism and ethnic cleansing; and ‘justified’ classism and dehumanizing others. Self interest also lulled us into thinking that as long as the distress isn’t directly related to us, we don’t need to intervene.

But Christ calls us to a different way of living: He calls us to offer to the entire world God’s love that ‘sees’ the human need over and above the Bottom Line. A Love that made and continues to make room for you and me, with ALL our imperfections, in God’s kingdom and kin-dom. A Love that invites us to do likewise in order to live. For that’s the only Bottom Line that matters.

Can we see the Bottom Line?

In Christ’s love and grace . . .