Devotionals

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Scripture reading: Mark 6: 1-6; 8: 27-31

It is very easy to be misunderstood by those around you; including your own friends and family. I sometimes chuckle (though sad) to myself, when I think about how our first impressions of people can be so far off base!

Take for instance... We might happen to see someone's shyness and misinterpret it for aloofness and lack of concern for others. All because we failed to communicate with that individual and get to know them, before we decided to pass judgment on them.

When we've failed to communicate well to others, our actions and thoughts can be misinterpreted to be something totally different than what we intended. For instance; the person who wrote this ad for a car repair shop, didn't mean to convey what the ad read: "Auto Repair Service. Free pick-up and delivery. Try us once and you'll never go anywhere again." This ad does not scream...you can trust us to take care of your car repair needs!

No. Instead... It gives you the impression that if you leave your car with them...they will botch the job up and it will never run again. You can see where the omission of one or two words, makes this ad take on a whole new meaning!

Jesus was misunderstood during His ministry, but unlike the example mentioned above, it wasn't His fault. Even the people who lived with Him and observed Him closely on a regular basis, didn't understand His mission.

For a very long time, those following Him, did not see that He was the Messiah sent from God. That's why His question in Mark 8:29 is so vital for us to understand. It was there that He asked His disciples. "Who do you say that I am?" Peter replied; "You are the Christ..." Peter was finally able to see clearly who Jesus was - the Messiah, the Savior, the Son of the living God.

When people misunderstand Him today, it's not because He hasn't made it clear who He is and what His continued mission is. It's because they misinterpreted His words and actions, by failing to communicate to Him. In this passage...Peter finally understood. Do you?

Written by: Teresa Trotter

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