When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. "What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?"
Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs."He said to them, "Go!" So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region. – Matthew 8:28-34
Today's Reading: Genesis 27-28; Matthew 8: 18-34
Whoa whoa whoa!
Ok wait a minute… What if you were one of the people tending the pigs? You’re going about your work, chillin, minding your own business and all of the sudden this happens. I imagine it going something like this. Let’s call the pig keepers Earl and Carl.
Earl: Hey… Carl. You see that man over there?
Carl: What man?
Earl: Look dummy! That man there. He’s walking on that road by them tombs where them crazy dudes are. Must not be too smart.
Carl: Don’t you know who that is? I think that’s that Jesus dude.
Earl: Jesus? Oh that fool owes me three denarii!
Carl: No not that Jesus. You know, the one who turned water into wine at that party a while back.
Earl: He did what!? Hahahaha! Shut up Carl.
Carl: yeah man. It’s true. My cousin Ray was there. Red wine, delicious.
Earl: Like that huh?
Carl: Yep like that. But what’s he doing over there by those tombs. He must not know… oh no… they seen him!!
(Carl and Earl yell out into the distance for Jesus to run away from the possessed men.)
Carl: You think he heard us?
Earl: I dunno man… Now he’s talking to them. They’re not attacking him!
Carl: Wait he’s looking in our direction now.
(Jesus points at the pigs… then there’s a snap, crackle and pop.)
Carl: Oh no!
Earl: grab em you fool!
Carl: I’m trying I’m trying!
Earl: Go close the gate!
(Carl is knocked down into the trough by a massive hog as the hog herd runs down the ledge and into the lake to their demise.)
Carl: nooooooo…
Earl: Well I’ll be good and Go—
(Jesus turns and with a snap fixes his gaze at Earl in the distance, stopping Earl short from saying God’s name in vain. He then calmly continues on the path. Earl and Carl sit in silence covered in slop. After a few moments Earl hollers out to Jesus in the distance.)
Earl: Ay! What you gone do about our pigs holy man!
(Jesus keeps walking)
Carl: Bossman ain’t never gonna believe this.
Earl: Shut up Carl.
Yeah, something like that.
I feel bad sometimes for the folk on the sidelines of these miracles. I mean, Earl and Carl got jobs to do ya know? Now they’re about to get fired because of a miracle.
That ain’t right.
