The hand gripping her arm right above her elbow coiled tightly. The man wouldn't loosen his grip, and he tugged her forwards so often, Yare felt like even if she fell over, the man would keep pulling and drag her all the way to their destination.
She couldn't see behind her, but based on his grunts, she knew her husband was trailing behind her in a similar predicament.
Who would have thought something so wonderful would have led to this mess?
The men pulled them into an old, rundown house. It was apparent that nobody lived here anymore, and that the place had been left to decay. It was the perfect, out of the way location for a forced meeting.
Yare gasped when her eyes adjusted to the light. Pharisees, officials, and well-to-do Jews filled the room, and they did not look happy. Quite frankly, it looked like each of them had sat on a scorpion's tail.
One Pharisee stepped forward, clearly the elected speaker for the group. "Is Ivver your son?"
Yare blinked. What a stupid question! She looked over at her husband, trying to make sure she had heard right. His face was outlined in similar confusion, but he answered them anyways. "Yes."
"Your son, whom you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" The Pharisee raised a bushy eyebrow at them.
They don't think Ivver is our son? They think this is all some elaborate plot!
She couldn't see behind her, but based on his grunts, she knew her husband was trailing behind her in a similar predicament.
Who would have thought something so wonderful would have led to this mess?
The men pulled them into an old, rundown house. It was apparent that nobody lived here anymore, and that the place had been left to decay. It was the perfect, out of the way location for a forced meeting.
Yare gasped when her eyes adjusted to the light. Pharisees, officials, and well-to-do Jews filled the room, and they did not look happy. Quite frankly, it looked like each of them had sat on a scorpion's tail.
One Pharisee stepped forward, clearly the elected speaker for the group. "Is Ivver your son?"
Yare blinked. What a stupid question! She looked over at her husband, trying to make sure she had heard right. His face was outlined in similar confusion, but he answered them anyways. "Yes."
"Your son, whom you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" The Pharisee raised a bushy eyebrow at them.
They don't think Ivver is our son? They think this is all some elaborate plot!
Yare felt the indignation boil up inside of her, just waiting to bust forth and spew all over those pompous cowards. Something wonderful had happened. Their blind son could see now, and it was truly a miracle! The only thing that stopped her from telling those fools off was the gossip she had been hearing since her son had been healed
Fear kept the words bottled up inside. Fear kept her quiet. If she said what she knew to be true, then they would lose everything.
"We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind." Her husband's words were harsh, but softened with sadness as he spoke. "But we do not know how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes." His voice broke as he forced out his last sentence. "Ask him. He is of age now."
The Pharisee looked behind him, and having gotten several nods from the others, he nodded at the men who held them. Upon release, Yare threw herself at her husband and cried. For fear of what would happen next to her son. For fear of what would happen to them now. For the fear that had kept her from being a mother.
Based on John 9:18-23
This was a hard situation. The Jews wouldn't believe that this man had been blind and received his sight, until they called in the parents of the blind man. After the parents testified that all that was true, they were quick to say, "Ask him. He is of age."
These parents were looking at being thrown out of the church if they said what they knew to be true Jesus had healed their son through God's power. They were afraid.
When persecuted by our fellow believers, we respond with the pointing fingers of fear. Truthfully, it's easier to stand in faith against people you don't know, then to face those you do know and love.
Jesus knew personally what this was like because he had taught in the church in his hometown.
"He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, 'Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?' And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.' And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching." Mark 6:1-6
Persecution is something we all have to face as believers in Jesus. However, when you have to face family and friends, people you've known your whole life, and face the stinging betrayal of their persecution, then it moves to a whole new level.
"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10
Despite all that junk, we have to ask ourselves, "Who are we trying to please?" In order to serve God with abandon, then we have to lay aside the hunger for man's approval.
"So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:26-28
We may face man's disapproval and may even be killed for our faith, but what happens after that? Nothing. Man's power is limited. After that we face God, and He knows whether we hid when we should have shouted from the rooftops. Don't cave from fear. If you can stand up to family and friends and say, "Yes, Jesus is my Lord, my Savior, the One who healed, freed, and redeemed me. I love God!", then you can stand up to anything man may throw your way. Anything.
V. Joy Palmer
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