The Pig Event

I grew up on a small farm where we raised some livestock. We had pigs at one time. They are a messy smelly animal. They like to get down and dirty and they eat nearly anything. My Pappy had around 30 head of pigs at one time. He would raise them to sell. I think he also had some processed sometimes for food. I learned to feed the pigs and help keep them safe.

Mark tells about a pig event involving Jesus. Jesus and His followers came to shore at the Gerasene and encountered a demon possessed man. The man recognized Jesus immediately. Jesus then asked him his name – it was Legion – there were many demons inside him. What happened next was a bit wild. Check this out….

¹¹ There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. ¹² “Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.”

¹³ So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of about 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.

¹⁴ The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. ¹⁵ A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. ¹⁶ Then those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs. ¹⁷ And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.(Mark 5:11-16 NLT)

I think the people were so stunned by the event that they didn’t know what to make of it. They just saw 2000 pigs uncharacteristically run off a cliff and drown. I think some of them did the math and realized the loss of the pigs. Jesus saw the value of the man versus the value of the pigs. I still have trouble imagining this event. Jesus didn’t “accidently” do things. He was on mission and this man was obviously a part of His mission. The townspeople were stunned, but their response was to ask Jesus to leave instead of asking for more information or explanation.

I want to value what Jesus values.

I want to see the good that He sees in the worst people.

I want to be on mission with Him.

Jesus’ mission changed live wherever He went. He changed my life. I want Him to change the lives of people I know and love as well as the world.  This pig event revealed the extent to which Jesus would go to save one life.

Pressing On!

Dwayne