Tell What God Has Done: It Is The Better Story (by Rev. Ronald A. Benjamin)

Everyone is telling something. Talk shows; social media, news networks, texting, magazines, periodicals, mobile apps, news alerts…there is no scarcity of news. In addition to those who are telling there are those who are listening…there is a desire to know what is happening, what is being said or what’s not being said. I have watch several persons whose attention is constantly on their mobile devices catching up on the latest tweets. There is no scarcity of news…good and bad.

For over two years I have been conducting a weekly Bible study on Wednesdays in the Gospel of Luke. We began the study on Ash Wednesday intending to do it for the Lenten season. So we started our study in chapter 9:51 which informs us of Jesus’ deliberate decision to go to Jerusalem knowing that He was going to be crucified. Since then, we have completed the book and we resumed our study at chapter one. We are now in chapter eight.

Our recent study was the account of the deliverance of the Gerasenes demoniac (8:26-39).

That whole account actually began with Jesus telling the disciples to sail to the other side of the lake, 8:22. While on their way they encountered a storm which threatened their lives. Jesus was sleeping in the boat (I cannot imagine where He found a place to sleep on such small vessel) during the storm. In their fear, the disciples woke Him up and pretty much accused him of not caring that they were going to die. (If anyone was in danger of dying it would have been the sleeping passenger). Jesus spoke directly to the storm and it ceased. They did not abort the trip. They continued to the other side.

Upon arriving on the shores, Jesus was met by a man who was possessed by demons…legion. A legion could include between four to six thousand troops. Through direct command again, Jesus delivered the man from this severe case of demonic possession. There was some loss to valuable assets in the process because an entire herd of pigs were drowned in the lake due to the demons that came out of the man and entered them.

Now comes the time of reporting. The swineherds went to the city and reported what had happened. The citizens came out to see what had happened. They saw the man who was healed. He was sitting down at the feet of Jesus; he was clothed and he was in his right mind. The response of the people was fear. A human, a person was made well. The people saw the healed man. But his healing meant nothing to them. Instead of celebrating the amazing healing of the man, they became fearful and most likely concerned that there could be the possibility of more economic loss should any more demons got into more pigs. So they asked Jesus to leave their region.

The man who was healed was now begging Jesus to allow him to leave the area with Him. Instead of allowing him to leave with Him, Jesus told him to go home and report of the great things that God had done for him. At that very moment, there were several things that could be reported. But Jesus’s instructions to the man was very specific: “…describe what great things God has done for you”. The man could have reported about the drowning of the pigs; he could have reported the actions and request of the people. However, he was told to report what God had done for him. Jesus knew that it would be of greater worth to talk about what He had done than what the people or the demons had done.

Not everything needs to be reported. Some reports only stir up strife; some stir up anger; some endanger our souls because they make us gossipers and tale bearers. When we choose to report what God has done for us we become messengers of hope and blessings. Isaiah describes the beauty of the feet of the one who spreads good news: “How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings news of happiness, who announces salvation and says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns’”, 52:7.

The decision not to report some things may displease some people because they take pleasure in negative things. By being intentional to make known only what God has done places us on the Highway of holiness. It takes away the opportunity from Satan to breed discord and dissension. The next time you give a report, make sure it is about what God has done for you. You can’t say the wrong thing in talking about what God has done.