The Crowd That Tells You to Hush

What do you do when everyone around you seems to be thriving and you feel completely stuck? Father Aaron explores the story of a blind man sitting in Jericho — the ancient city of victory — who couldn't see any of it. If you've ever felt surrounded by possibility but unable to access it, this one is for you.

Transcript

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Good morning, this is Northword. Have you ever had someone, maybe a friend, maybe even family, talk you out of something good? Good morning, this is Northword, the word the North Your Week, a daily podcast from St. John's Fort Smith. I'm your host, Father Aaron. When the blind man in Jericho hears that Jesus is passing by, he does something bold. He starts shouting, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. Not quietly, definitely not politely, he's making a scene. He's calling out across the road. And the crowd tells him to be quiet. Here is a man who has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Finally reaching toward the one person who might actually help him. And the people around him try to shut it down. Not enemies, just the crowd, ordinary people, maybe even well-meaning ones, telling him to stop making so much noise, stop making a scene. That's such an important detail. I've seen that play out a hundred times in real life. Someone decides to take faith seriously, to change a habit, to go get help, to reach towards something better. And the people around them get uncomfortable. Not always with bad intentions, sometimes it's a kind of projection. When someone near us starts changing, it holds up a mirror to the parts of our own lives we haven't dealt with yet. And that is threatening. So instead of chewing them on, we quietly, or sometimes not so quietly, discourage them. I have seen this happen in families, in friendships, sometimes honestly, even in churches. Let's be real. Often in churches, why bother? You've tried before. You always go back to the same patterns. It sounds like realism, but it functions like a cage. The blind man's response to the crowd is the most important thing in that story. He doesn't argue with them, he doesn't get distracted by them. He just shouts louder, Son of David, have mercy on me. If you're in the middle of a change right now, you will probably meet this crowd. They may love you genuinely, but you do not have to let them be the final word. The reach towards something better is always worth the noise. This has been Northward, the Word, The North, Your Week, a daily podcast from St. John's Ford Smith in collaboration with the Anglican family. Thank you for being here. Share this episode if it spoke to you, and use the text us link to let us know what you're walking through right now. Until tomorrow, God be with you. In the name of Fowler, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.