Done Messed Up
“And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house Jesus asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.” (Mark 9:33-34)
Over the years, I have read Mark dozens of times; however, I could not read this particular passage without chuckling. Something struck my funny bone in a way that it has not in years past. Now, you may be asking: “Zach, what is so funny about this passage?” As a former coworker of mine would say: the disciples knew that had “done messed up.” Here the disciples are bantering back and forth about who is the greatest among them. We can only speculate what measuring rod they were using, but that does not matter. They are arguing over greatness while in the presence of The Greatest. Their consciences strike them a grievous blow, and they grow silent. These twelve know that their conversation was unbecoming followers of Christ.
The conscience is God’s lieutenant, placed within our heart to moderate our lives according to God’s law. As Paul says, our conscience either accuses or excuses us (Rom. 2:15). However, sin makes our consciences grow hard. Sin lulls the lieutenant to sleep. How many times do we drift into conversations unworthy of our calling? We may call it frivolous banter or “water cooler talk;” however, our consciences strike us when we hear God’s Word speak into the moment. Don’t believe me? Take it from a pastor. Nothing will silence a dirty joke faster than “a man of the cloth” walking into the room. Nothing will make gossip flee faster than the suggestion to pray for them. This is ample evident that we have “done messed up.”
Even when these visible evidences of Christ’s presence are lacking, our God is in all places. The darkness is not dark to Him, nor are secrets safe from Him. He reads every message we send, saves every Snapchat. As David says: “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.” (Ps. 139:4) If this is the case, let us be a people who always speak in an open, honest, and encouraging way. When Christ asks us what we speak of, let us draw Him in rather than go silent. Let us talk in a manner worthy of our calling.
