Being in situations where people are applying extreme pressure is difficult. I don’t know if you watch any of those cop shows like “Law and Order”, but sometimes you see them put people under lights and grill them, looking to create a situation where people will crack under the pressure. It can happen in the workplace too. People can put peer pressure on you to where you feel intimidated by the situation you are in, and the anxiety you may feel because of the consequences that are in front of you are so extreme that you can shut down or even make bad decisions because of fear.
The pressure the parents were feeling in this situation was real. The Jewish leaders held a lot of power, not only politically but culturally. If the leaders deemed it necessary, they didn’t need to put you in jail, they could ban you from worshiping in the temple and tell the community they should ostracize you, and a majority would have. They may have lost friends, their ability to do business and even some family members. The fear these parents were experiencing was very real.
But the thing is, there are times in which we MUST stand up under the pressure, and be willing to face the consequences that are before us. Remember many of the disciples experienced not only death because of their persistence in the Gospel, but a life of persecution. Jesus promises that we will experience this in some way if we are followers of him (John 15). What we need to take hold of is that Jesus has promised to give us strength when we face these trials. In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul makes it very clear that through all the trials and temptations of life, God walks with us and give us a way to stand up underneath it. Notice that he doesn’t say take it away, but helps us to stand up. These parents of the blind man avoided the obvious answer they should have given, but I challenge you not to. Don’t be afraid of the consequences of standing for Jesus
The pressure the parents were feeling in this situation was real. The Jewish leaders held a lot of power, not only politically but culturally. If the leaders deemed it necessary, they didn’t need to put you in jail, they could ban you from worshiping in the temple and tell the community they should ostracize you, and a majority would have. They may have lost friends, their ability to do business and even some family members. The fear these parents were experiencing was very real.
But the thing is, there are times in which we MUST stand up under the pressure, and be willing to face the consequences that are before us. Remember many of the disciples experienced not only death because of their persistence in the Gospel, but a life of persecution. Jesus promises that we will experience this in some way if we are followers of him (John 15). What we need to take hold of is that Jesus has promised to give us strength when we face these trials. In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul makes it very clear that through all the trials and temptations of life, God walks with us and give us a way to stand up underneath it. Notice that he doesn’t say take it away, but helps us to stand up. These parents of the blind man avoided the obvious answer they should have given, but I challenge you not to. Don’t be afraid of the consequences of standing for Jesus