Bible Reflections From Scripture Union Volume OneSample

All Peoples on Earth
Read Mark 7:24-37

People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” Mark 7:37

We live in a volatile region where tolerance is the key to maintaining peace. One negative aspect of tolerance is our fear of sharing our faith with our neighbours. We are afraid that by doing so we may create disunity, which could lead to religious strife.

Sometimes we forget that God is God of all people and everyone needs Christ. In today’s reading we see the healing of a Greek woman’s child and a deaf man who was living outside Israel (in the Decapolis). In both instances, Jesus healed them and also commended their faith. This was something radical as people those days did not interact socially with foreigners. It is also amazing that these people put their faith in Jesus, a foreigner.

Leaving aside religious differences, let us remember that everyone has needs. Most people do not even know that God meets individual needs. And sadly many people do not know that God is just a prayer away from them. Israel, though, having known God for all their history, has failed miserably in making Him known to others. One of the reasons Abraham was chosen by God was that ‘all peoples on earth’ will be blessed through him (Genesis 12:3).

Jesus fulfills this prophecy. As Christians we sometimes forget that we also are the ‘peoples on earth’ mentioned and we should be thankful to Jesus for being merciful in extending His salvation to us. May we always make it our responsibility to bring Jesus to our friends and neighbours who need Him in their lives.

Migrant workers and foreign maids are 'the different peoples' on earth in our homes and workplaces. Be merciful to them and they will desire to know more about the God we worship.