They landed in the country of the Gadarenes and were met by two mad victims of demons, coming out of the cemetery. The men had terrorized the region for so long that no one considered it safe to walk down that road anymore” (Matthew 8:28-30 The Message).
What are the odds? Two against ten? Against hundreds? Perhaps thousands?
I have read countless stories about individuals, groups and countries fighting. Fighting for something. Fighting against something. I read about a terrorist attack in Matthew 8 (vs. 28-30).
In this passage, two demon-possessed men were coming out of the cemetery to terrorize roadway travelers. Two men. They came from tombs, not even from highly regarded offices. Two no-names with a background of bullying.
What about this region’s response? I appears that they’d become accustomed to a history of these men’s scare tactics that they allowed the past to shape their future.
Matthew doesn’t offer details about how or what these grave dwellers did to terrorize people, yet their legend lived on. I’m shocked that nobody called a strategic planning meeting to consider retaliation. Who was going to finally revolt and fight back?
We fight cancer, abuses, poverty, homelessness. We have spiritual warfare, nuclear warfare, germ warfare. Individuals are called to action. In my own responsibility, where have I allowed myself to lie down and take unnecessary lumps?
I’m not referring to surrendering my will or facing trials and tribulations. I’m speaking about suffering simply from a place of apathy. Where have I grown uncomfortably miserable, or perhaps miserably comfortable?
I’m jumping off this lily pad of life to answer my call-to-action. Armored under God’s guardianship, I crawl out of my inner grave to fight injustice.
Digging my way out of a tomb to get into the Light,
Christina