Big Toe Lack of Belief

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Mark 6:1
They were deeply offended and refused to believe in [Jesus] (v.3).

A co-worker was having a conversation with her
son about spiritual things. Striving to express his
present lack of both belief and commitment to
Jesus, the young man said, “God isn’t in my life right
now; He’s just in my big toe.”


Have you ever felt that way? Has doubt or lack of
commitment left you with a serious dearth of belief? Jesus
once encountered some people who chose not to believe
in Him. What’s more, they were from His own hometown
of Nazareth! (Mark 6:1). While some of the locals were
“amazed” at Jesus’ powerful teaching, the unbelieving
crowd was “deeply offended and refused to believe
in Him” (v.3). They took offense that Jesus was acting
and teaching in ways that didn’t jibe with His ordinary
carpenter upbringing. It was that whole “a prophet is
honored everywhere except in his own hometown” thing
(v.4).


The result of their lack of belief (“C’mon, He’s just
the son of that carpenter and Mary.”) led to a lack of
experiencing Jesus’ power in their lives. We read that He
placed “His hands on a few sick people and [healed]
them” (v.5). Those healed must have shown true belief.
But the bulk of the Nazarenes didn’t get to witness the
fullness of His miraculous ways.


We, like the young man with “big toe” lack of belief,
can also stymie the work of God and His Holy Spirit by our nonexistent faith. As
one commentator put it, “Jesus’ miracles were not performances but the partial
realization of God’s kingdom; entrance to that kingdom and its benefits requires
repentance and faith.”


True belief will result in a relationship with Jesus that courses through every cell
of your body (not just your big “piggy”) and paves the way for Him to work in
and through you. Dipping your toe in the water simply won’t do it.

—Tom Felten
 


more›
Read Matthew 8:8 to see the faith of a man to whom Jesus said,
“Because you believed, it has happened.”


next›
Why does God refuse to reveal His power to those who choose not
to believe in Him? How do you balance God’s sovereignty and your
need for genuine faith?

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