Claims of miraculous healings have long been the fundraising bread and butter of a certain vein of preacher. Who among us wouldn't experience an emotional response to seeing the lame walk and hearing a blind person gasp in wonder as she gained or regained her sight? For many spectators, such miracles cement the divine authority of the person alleging to perform them. Without making any judgments on their authenticity, we can still question why these miracles seem to be prized above the simple message of the Gospel: "Your sins are forgiven."
When Jesus told a lame man his sins were forgiven, people accused him of blasphemy. Jesus had to heal the man's infirmity to prove his authority came from God. Jesus's words indicate he was exasperated by having to appease them in this manner, so which action do we believe he valued more? There were lots of professional miracle workers in Jesus' time, so it must have been frustrating that his unique message was lost in the "common" miracle.
While we are wise not to believe every religious claim we hear, we also need to be careful not to believe someone just because they manage to impress us – whether by miracle, education, success or any other factor. We Christians love our miracle and success stories, but they are never more important than the truth they point to. A pastor is not judged by the size of her congregation, but by the message she imparts to them. A congregation is not judged by its material wealth, but by the wealth of the message it shares with the world. And a message is not judged by its eloquence or poetic virtues, but by its effectiveness in helping people understand: "Your sins are forgiven."
Success and authenticity are by no means mutually exclusive, but any time the reputation or ego of a person or organization begins to eclipse the purity of this message, we should be wary of the intent. And no matter how humble the source, if the message is pure we need look no further for its authority.
Evening readings: Psalms 102, 133
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