Advocate and Expectations

The father of the demon-possessed and much abused boy has caught my attention. Who is this man who fights for his son? This is a mighty advocate. Were he alive today and rich he might fund research to prevent this from happening to other boys and girls. He might lobby his politicians to write legislation to prevent this horrible tragedy. He might establish an Exorcism Institute to train disciples how to be more effective in driving these demons out. When people live with pain and trauma and difficulties day in and day out, they not only want help, but they want to prevent and cure. So much progress has grown out of the soil of pain. Again, we must look at the three accounts of this story to see this father's approach to the disciples.

First, note that he says to Jesus that he had approached Jesus' disciples. He says "Your disciples." These are not just any disciples. These are Jesus' disciples, and as such there is a higher expectation of them than the disciples of the scribes and Pharisees. Since Jesus was able to cure all manner of maladies, surely He had trained His disciples to do the same. So the expectation was high that he had come to the right people to get the job done. But, second, note that in each of the three accounts, there are three slightly different versions of what the man said to the disciples. In Matthew he said he brought his son to the disciples. In Mark he says he told them to cast it out. In Luke he says he begged them to cast it out. Perhaps slight differences, but differences all the same. They are compatible, but also escalating in nature. A parent who is desperate for healing for their child begins by bringing that child to the hoped-for healer, then telling the healer to heal, and then begging the healer to heal. I get the impression the father became more and more persistent. The harder the disciples tried, the more insistent and frustrated the father became.

So what of today? Fathers and mothers bring their children to Christ-followers for healing and cure and training and saving. "Fix my child," they might say. "I don't know what to do any more, and I need help, and you are Jesus' disciples so you must know what to do and how to fix them, and I am desperate. Help!" As His disciples is it reasonable to expect ourselves to better equipped to cast out the demons that indwell our children than the schools, the psychological community, the medical community, or the politicians? Should the church be a place of healing? Should those who bring their children expect it? What happens when we are not able to do it? Should this father have had the faith himself to cast the demon out? Could this matter have been handled in the home and family? We will be seeing Jesus' response to all of this soon, but for now we are observing human nature. Desperation breeds advocacy and advocacy breeds expectations, and sometimes expectations fall short of the desire outcome, until Jesus shows up.