THE VOICE OF REASON

“But his servants came up and reasoned with him.” –2 Kings 5:13

Naaman was blessed with humble servants who pleaded with him and reasoned with him. Where was the voice of reason who would calm the angry crowd in the Nazareth synagogue? It may have only taken one voice of reason to still the Nazareth crowd and prevent Jesus’ very own townspeople from carrying out their murderous intentions.

The disciples and Peter corrected the powerful Sanhedrin. “When the Sanhedrin heard this, they were stung to fury and wanted to kill them” (Acts 5:33). Nevertheless, Gamaliel, the one voice of reason, stood up, spoke out, and was heeded (Acts 5:34ff). Did anyone do this at Nazareth? Scripture does not indicate this. Once a crowd in Ephesus wanted to kill the apostle Paul after he preached to them. But the town clerk of Ephesus spoke rationally to them, and dissuaded them from their murderous intent (Acts 19:35).

An angry crowd planned to kill the innocent Susanna because of the false testimony of two elders (Dn 13:28ff). One solitary voice of reason belonging to the youthful Daniel calmed the crowd and freed Susanna from death (Dn 13:45ff).

In each of the above cases, the voice of reason belonged to a member of the crowd itself. There are many hard-hearted people and crowds who need to be checked by a voice of reason. Of course, many are like Pharoah, so hardened of heart that even a humble voice of reason will not persuade them. Whatever the consequences, “stand up and tell them all that” God commands (Jer 1:17).

PRAYER: Father, give me “that Spirit of faith of which the Scripture says: ‘Because I believed, I spoke out’ ” (2 Cor 4:13).

PROMISE: “His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” –2 Kgs 5:14

PRAISE: Praying constantly for wisdom, Officer Ruth talked a disturbed person out of a suicide attempt.