The Wild Man of Gadara

Most of us know the biblical story of the demon-possessed man of Gadara.  This man was in horrible shape!  It was so bad that I don't think I know anyone who relates to him.  They might relate to to the adulterer, or the thief, or the presumption and weakness of Peter, but I've not heard anyone say that they relate to this Gadarene.

Well, I relate to him very much.  I don't think I ever had a legion of demons in me, but I think I do relate to his experience in some ways.  I'll explain...

First, the Bible calls the man unclean.  The Greek word "akathartos" means not ritually clean, or not passing, or less than acceptable.  I certainly relate to that. I have spent many years believing that I just wasn't good enough... for my parents, for friends, for success, and for God.

The man was naked.  Nakedness in the Bible always refers to shame and insufficiency.  Shame is the painful feeling that you are not good enough to be loved or to belong.  Yup. Been there.

He would cry out and cut himself.  He believed that he was worthy of destruction.

When he saw Jesus coming, he thought the Lord came to torture him.  Yes. I believed that God would torment someone like me.

BUT... Jesus made him clean.  He was innocent.  Jesus did what Jesus does.  He justified the ungodly.

"But no one earns God's righteousness. It can only be transferred when we no longer rely on our own works, but believe in the One who powerfully declares the ungodly to be righteous in His eyes..."
- Romans 4:5

I love this! That's why none of us are better than the other.  Even if we see someone acting obviously "ungodly", it is God who justifies the ungodly.  There is hope and love for all of us!

It's easier to trust and have faith in a God who is wonderful and ever gracious.  And isn't it great that Jesus took a journey across the sea, just to give this man the worth and care that he should have?

That's the goodness of God.