Candid Reflections Journal

I marvel at the fact that the two recorded instances of Yeshua “marveling” both have to do with faith—one in its abundance and the other in its absence. In Luke 7:9 (NKJV), Yeshua was astonished by the great faith of a Roman centurion who told Him, “Don’t trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.” Then, in stark contrast, Mark 6:6 (NKJV) tells us that Yeshua marveled at the unbelief of His own townspeople in Nazareth. Their familiarity with Him as “just the carpenter” blinded them to the reality of who He truly was, and their lack of faith hindered what He could do among them: “He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them” (Mark 6:5 NKJV). They had access to the greatest blessing, yet their unbelief kept them from receiving it. Fresh off the heels of meditating on these insights, I revisited Mark 6 and was reminded of a powerful truth: our percepti...

Are you a master deflector? Put down your defenses—perhaps unwittingly, many of us are. Let’s do a quick self-check. What does deflecting look like? It can be as subtle as immediately—though silently—focusing on someone else’s flaws when we’re criticized or held to account. Or it can be as blatant as responding in a most hostile manner: “I may be dishonest, but you’re ugly,” for instance. Deflecting is not a skill worth mastering because true growth and character development only happen when we’re willing to take an honest look at ourselves. If you’re wondering what sparked this reflection,  it was a recent study of the Pharisees. The Pharisees - known for their hypocrisy, as they focused on outward behavior while avoiding self-examination - were experts at deflection. But alas, don’t be too quick to criticize them, for  many of us have more Pharisaic tendencies than we’d care to admit. If you want to be the kind of person who is honest with yourself, aware of your flaws, ...