Less arguing more kindness.

Less arguing more kindness.

John 7: 40-52

⁴⁰ On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” ⁴¹ Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? ⁴² Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” ⁴³ Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. ⁴⁴ Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him. ⁴⁵ Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?” ⁴⁶ “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied. ⁴⁷ “You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. ⁴⁸ “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? ⁴⁹ No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.” ⁵⁰ Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, ⁵¹ “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” ⁵² They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”

Why are people so angry?

People get themselves caught up in nonsense arguments. Nonsense because the argument makes no sense. It is filled with pre-texts and prejudices. It was so in Jesus’ day and it was centred on him. Here are their comments as I understand them being said and what they mean:

• “Surely Jesus is the Prophet.” “He is.” = CONVINCED
• “How can he be coming from Galilee and not Bethlehem?” = PREJUDICED against Galileans and IGNORANT to the truth of Jesus’ birth-place.
• “We have come back empty-handed, we couldn’t arrest him for no-one speaks like him.” = CHANGE OF HEART AND MIND.
• “Anyone with an understanding of the Scriptures knows not to believe this man.” = CONTEMPT of those who do not hold to the same interpretation of the Scriptures, namely the Sabbath.
• “Hold on let’s not dismiss anything new” = Lets be OPEN-MINDED.
• “That’s the Galilean sound” = SARCASM.

May our world have more convinced believers in Jesus; more changes of heart and mind and more open-minded people.

What we need less of are the ignorant arguments filled with prejudices; contemptuous speaking of others and the sarcasm that is indeed the lowest form of wit. Sometimes these nonsense arguments are from places we least expect to see them.

They come from Christian feeds, Church forums and Cafés of fellowship.

Let’s start a kindness revival.