Crazy for Christ – Mark 3
“And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.” — Mark 3:20-21
You’re crazy! Often those who forsake all and follow Jesus are accused of being crazy. This was an accusation that was levelled at Jesus as well. So many people were saying it and thinking it that Jesus’ own family tried to intervene.
They came trying to forcibly lead Him away from the work He was doing. He was super busy and super popular at this stage and didn’t even have time to eat. He was also the subject of an official inspection from Jerusalem. Foolishly, thought maybe He was demon-possessed.
The criticism and rejection of Jesus and His disciples shows us that those who serve the Lord will face criticism as well. At times, they will be thought of as “beside themselves” and needing to be led away.
Paul the Apostles described it this way, “we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake…we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.” (1 Cor 4:9-13).
How willing are we to be thought of as crazy for Christ? If we are fully following Jesus with everything that is in us, we will probably be thought of as nuts. Yet, to follow Christ with all we have and are in the actually the sanest thing we can do.