Passage Read: Luke 7-8
Meditation Verse: 8:37
Thought
Jesus comes all this way and heals the man with a legion of demons. But in the process, He allows the demons to go into the herd of pigs, which then drown themselves. The freed man begs to go with Jesus, and He instead sends him home to testify about Him, which he faithfully and diligently does. The locals, on the other hand, see the power of Jesus both to command the demons from the man and to permit them to destroy their livelihood, and in fear, they beg Him to leave. And Jesus puts up no fight. He leaves. He doesn't stay where He's not wanted. This is a simple example of His teaching in Matthew 10, that where His disciples are not welcomed when they bring the Gospel, they should leave, kicking the dust off their feet as a testimony against those who rejected them. There was no arguing, no pleading, no insisting and no ignoring their request. Jesus just left. And His disciples likewise have no need to hesitate or debate. If they want you out, then go. They had their chance at salvation and rejected it. Whatever degree they understood what was happening and Who had come among them, it was enough. Walk away.
Application
I am to bring the Gospel to people, but I don't have to stay where I'm not welcome. I don't have to feel like I've failed at bringing a complete message or teaching so that they can make a fully informed decision. It was enough for Jesus to do nothing more than cast out demons from a man they all knew, and when they asked Him to leave, He departed. It would do Him no good to argue with them. Let them sit in their own thoughts. If God wanted to call any from among them to be saved, He would work in their hearts to seek Jesus out, wherever He went next. If people reject me, I need to go somewhere else, until I find people who want to listen.