Jesus Cared About Bystanders

What Did Jesus Do?

“I said this on account of the people standing around...”
John 11.42

Ever think about how much time we spend standing, or sitting, around not really doing anything, just waiting for something to happen? The light to change. The bell to ring. The line to move. Sometimes, just by standing, or sitting, in a particular place at a particular time, we may see or hear something that we think has nothing to do with us, but may in truth be for our benefit. In fact, Jesus cared about bystanders.

And this is very important, because there are times when a lot of us wonder if everyone else is getting so much more done with their lives than we are. Sometimes, we might even despair that we're just hanging out in the world, standing or sitting around with no good purpose. Well, there's good news for all of us, even those of us who feel like there is simply too much standing around, and not enough doing, in our life. This might be especially important for people to hear when so many have been thrown out of work for months, even years. We too can serve, who stand and wait. For, sometimes, just standing around, being close enough to what is going on to overhear, is enough.

As he stood before the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus had a brief conversation with his Father. First of all, the Lord thanked the Father for hearing his prayer ((John 11.41). Then he acknowledged something all of us need to receive, that it might encourage us in our prayers: “I know that you always hear me.” Have you ever prayed and wondered if anyone is listening? Well, here is assurance, for all who know Christ as their Lord and Savior, that all our prayers are heard. The Father never dozes off. He never turns down the volume. Neither does he ever get too busy with other business. Listening to our prayers is just about his top priority. The truth is, the Father's heart suffers for all the time he sits in silence listening for our prayers while we are doing anything and everything but praying. But that's another subject. For today it is enough to know that he always hears. Even more, it is good to know that he has no problem when people, just standing around as it were, listen in on others' conversations.

The prayerful words Jesus spoke in front of the tomb which held Lazarus were not just so that the Father would know that his Son appreciated his listening heart. It was far more important to Jesus that people in the crowd which had come out from Jerusalem to weep and mourn with Martha and Mary, who were just “standing around,” should overhear his prayer to the Father, “that they may believe.”

Here's the thing, many times we may think we are just standing around idle, when, in fact, the Lord's desire is for someone to overhear our words to him, and to come to believe. And this is where we may be able to redeem some of that time we spend standing or sitting around. Because we can always talk with the Father while we're just standing or sitting there, since we, like Jesus, know he always hears us. But, as we're talking with the Father, you never know who else might overhear our conversation with God, and believe. As it turns out, caring for bystanders is something that Jesus did, which we can and should do too!

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4