Today’s scripture: Matthew 9:27-31

I am like a small child when it comes to good information.  When I receive it or when something happens that I think is just…the best…I have a hard time hanging on to it.  Now, don’t get me wrong, when something is important to hold I definitely do.  It is all part of the whole pastorly package to hang on to information and to hold things for people but if a fun thing has just happened or good news has come my way, I cannot WAIT to share it with someone. I sometimes come bounding into the church office or have to call a friend right away. “You will never believe what just happened!” or “Oh my gosh, I have to tell you this.”  This is usually followed by some great story about someone being awesome.  Or it may have to do with great news coming my way or something just too good to hold on to.

I think many people are like this.  If something amazing happens, we move around like we are on edge until we can share it with someone.  Many times during the day, I might see something that even triggers a want to get a hold of someone right then…did you see that crazy hairstyle?  What about that new restaurant over there?  That is a funny statue.  Is that something new over there?  All of these questions might just get me on the phone with you to share or perhaps I would even take a picture to send you.

It is even more important for this extrovert to process with others about wonderful things in my life.  I am actually pretty cautious to share too much about my life with too many people but if something just happened, my close inner circle gets a phone call or a message.  In January, I had been asked to be a main stage speaker at a conference. I was soooo excited and sooo terrified.  I spoke on alternative forms of worship for 15 minutes in front of 80 of my colleagues.  I had been chosen.  I was sooo excited I immediately called my parents and then some of my friends. I just couldn’t hold it in.

All of this is to lead up to this funny story that we find in Matthew.  It is short and sweet but it is not the only story where Jesus tells the healed to not tell what just happened.  There are many debates about why he does this.  And if you ask me, I am still not sure why he doesn’t want these two men to talk about their healing.  The only thing I can come up with is that in the telling Jesus gets more press that he doesn’t really want right now and/or it distracts from the men following him.  If they are so busy creating hype, they are not busy experiencing and following Jesus.  Maybe there is another option but either way Jesus tells them….to not tell.

And they just can’t do that.  They came to him.  He asked if they believed and obviously they did because he did. And then they are sooooo excited and I can sure understand that…that they tell everyone in sight. This is what people do with really great news.  We just can’t hold it in.  They just can’t hold it in.  They HAVE to tell people all about this Jesus guy.

Now…I am going to call us out a bit here too.  Because somehow we, as a people, are super eager to share what we ate on facebook and good news but we aren’t always eager to share about amazing things God has done.  Some of us stay away from this because of the “e” word (evangelism) but here’s the thing, if God has done amazing things, perhaps it is time to tell that good news in a world that so desperately needs it.  Our culture is doing the opposite by the way with scary stats and fears, with commercials and wants….if we aren’t filling that gap with amazing things that God is doing in the world, we miss our chance to give good news to a world that yearns for it.  Today is the day to talk about it.

Ready?  What amazing things has God done for you today?

Peace,

C