JOHN 5
After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. – John 5:1-9
JOHN 5 THE MAN WITH A VICTIM MINDSET
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When Jesus went up to Jerusalem, there was a feast going on
There is a pool by the Sheep Gate called Bethesda
This pool has five roofed colonnades and infested with sick people
Some are blind, lame, paralyzed and other kinds of infirmities
One man had been invalid for thirty-eight years and Jesus saw him
He came to the man to ask him if he wanted to be healed
Instead of a yes, he replied with his “victim mindset story”
Yet Jesus commanded him to get up and take up his bed and walk.
In this account we see the compassion of Jesus to those who were all in need of healing. Interestingly, he helped this invalid for thirty-eight years, who didn’t sound to be as enthusiastic to get healing. He had been so used to being stepped over and disregarded by those people who flock to the pool daily for many years. There is an interesting way that he answered the question of Jesus which reflects many of us today.
We don’t truly have a high expectancy of desire to be healed. Instead, we focus on the suffering and the drama we have suffered already and get stuck with the “poor me” mentality, I can’t do a thing for myself. We stayed at the pity party. What a contrast Jesus is compared to our very weak and little faith conditions. Yet, Jesus still felt compassion for that man of little faith and grant him healing.
REFLECTION
• How does a victim mindset set us up for defeat and stunted growth?
