Leaving the Area

Jesus worked many miracles; in Matthew 12, he healed a man with a withered hand. And the leaders still want to kill him.

‘Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one! Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus.   But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them.
Matthew 12:13-15

It blows my mind: Why kill a man who was healing every kind of sickness and doing genuine good? The answer is simple:

Jesus came to reveal the truth, to set the captives free; he didn’t come to be a people-pleaser.

The Pharisees rejected change; they didn’t want disruption. They were captives of their current way of life. Some of the captives don’t want to be set free. Some captives want to control, manipulate, and drag us down. Sometimes, like Christ, we need to leave the area. That does not always mean walking away physically—it could mean stepping back from a dead-end conversation, choosing not to engage in gossip, or quietly unfollowing someone who fills a social media feed with negativity. It could mean deciding not to participate in a group or activity that pulls us away from our relationship with Christ. Leaving the area can be about setting boundaries to protect our hearts and stay focused on our relationship with Christ.

Jesus came to do God’s will. And many people hated him for it. I struggle with being a people-pleaser. I want everyone to like me. Maybe it’s fear, fear of not being accepted, of not fitting in. Today’s reading of Psalm 34 makes it painfully obvious; I need to pray about this and leave that area of my own life.

‘I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. ‘
Psalms 34:4

It’s funny, I just watched a video on boundaries and kindness that resonated.