Jesus is the friend of the outsider.
Throughout today's reading, I kept being assaulted by that fact. A demon-possessed man. A woman with severe gynecological issues. A Gentile woman from the wrong side of the tracks. A deaf and mute man. A blind man at Bethsaida. And they got Him. They understood Him. They received Him.
But not so much for the insiders. His hometown folks missed it. The religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees, certainly missed it (and he had some choice words for them about that). The disciples missed it. Peter really missed it - it never goes well for you when the Son of God equates you with Satan.
And so I have two reflections. First, being in the profession I am as a pastor, I know a lot of insiders. I probably even am one. Doctrine matters. Leadership models are discussion fodder. Books are read. Blogs are written. And I know insiders who miss Him, being caught up in control rather than the Creator. Heck, I might even be that guy from time to time.
Second, it compels me to look for the outsider. That compulsion is two-fold. On the one hand, Jesus is at work among them and is actively seeking Him out. Joining Him in ministry demands I find myself there sometimes. On the other hand, because they more often get Him than the insiders, I might just learn something from them about Him.
But that's just me thinking thoughts...
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