Misunderstood
I think one thing I really dislike is being misunderstood. I take great pains to articulate my thoughts to people clearly so that I am not misunderstood. If once a person I talk to understands what I am saying, it really doesn't bother me if they don't agree with me, it is just frustrating being misunderstood.
As I was reading this morning, in Acts 15, I felt sorry for Paul and Barnabas. Here they are trying to bring the good news about Jesus to people. They heal people, and the town things they are Zeus and Hermes and they start sacrificing to them. They try to explain that they are not, at the same time some Jews came from another town stirred up the crowd, and they end up throwing stones at Paul and Barnabas in effort to kill them.
Talk about being misunderstood, and facing deep oppression. It is amazing to me though how this does not slow Paul and Barnabas down this the good news of Jesus. They just continued on.
As I was reading this morning, in Acts 15, I felt sorry for Paul and Barnabas. Here they are trying to bring the good news about Jesus to people. They heal people, and the town things they are Zeus and Hermes and they start sacrificing to them. They try to explain that they are not, at the same time some Jews came from another town stirred up the crowd, and they end up throwing stones at Paul and Barnabas in effort to kill them.
Talk about being misunderstood, and facing deep oppression. It is amazing to me though how this does not slow Paul and Barnabas down this the good news of Jesus. They just continued on.
posted by Jon Knapp at
8:17 AM
3 Comments:
I think Marta and I saw you from the Sherwood Coffee Company on Saturday morning. You were just turning the corning walking away from us outside. That is not really a response to your post, but I thought I would let you know.
Why do you think it is so frustrating to be misunderstood? It seems that Jesus was pretty much misundestood everytime he spoke. His disciples sure did not get him. He kept changing paradigms and fliping the kingdom on end. Rather than taking a position of political power Christ washed the feet of his disciples. I wonder why the pharasees (educated in the scriptures, followers of the law) misunderstood Jesus? Maybe, it was because they were not willing to live as he was living.
Micah 6:8 MSG
But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what GOD is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously--take God seriously.
Great comment and question Andy! I appreciate you bringing it back to Jesus. It does seem at times like Jesus was trying to be misunderstood just so he would not heap more condemnation on people, or throw pearls to pigs. At the same time it seems like he was frustrated at the disciples for not understanding the things he was trying to tell them.
If I really probe myself, I guess there is a part of me that cares what people think about me, and does not wanting to be judged by them. (not the greatest ambition in the world)
But I think you are right we need to not take ourselves so seriously. But just come back to a simple and pure devotion to Jesus.
I don't understand.....just kidding. Being misunderstood is a frustration, but I think that is where the grace of God must enter in, both for the one misunderstood and the one confused. I am in agreement of Andy's comments on Jesus being misunderstood by his disciples and if we are honest, misunderstood often my ourselves as well. What I love about Jesus is his gentle patience with me as I bumble through in this journey of discovery of who he is.
I can relate to the frustration of being misunderstood...however I am becoming convinced that when we must walk in anothers shoes to fully understand where someone is coming from. So I must offer the same gentle patience to those who misunderstand...and I must check to see if what I communicate really is on target or not.
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