It’s been on my mind lately, so when I was reading the account of Jesus healing a demon-possessed man and the aftermath, it struck me.  After the incident (read it here), the locals showed up to see what had caused the catastrophe, and when they realized exactly what happened, they implored Jesus to leave.  I can think of all kinds of justifications that they could use for their begging, but the real reason was fear.

Jesus could have responded in a number of ways to their request.  He might have instructed, chided, challenged, demanded, or even commanded.  Loving entreaty for the man who was healed might be a possibility, or even apology for the loss of their valuable livestock.  He did none of these.  He “got into the boat and left.”  He walked away.

I don’t know about you, but that really struck me.  It still hits me as something different than what I might have expected.  Our current culture is one of confrontation, and we are encouraged (no matter on which part of the spectrum we reside) to stand firm, speak up for our or someone else’s rights, or at least clearly state our own position.

The more I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve realized that Jesus often used the quiet exit as a response to rejection and opposition (see for example Luke 4:14-30 or Luke 9:51-56).  I have been aware for a long time that Jesus never got defensive.  He seldom explained himself, and when he did, it looks to me like he was attempting to educate his listeners, not support his position.  But just walking away is definitely counter-culture.  He was not into lengthy discussion or debate.  Perhaps, this is because Jesus valued each word spoken, as apparently is true of his Father (see my comments on this here).

As a Methodist pastor, I’ve had my share of walking away.  When the bishop has set my appointment to move to a new ministry location, I’ve had to leave many people I love to go where I’m sent.  It’s not easy or enjoyable, but part of the calling I’ve followed.  I’ve had to find love for new people and trust those I’ve left to our Heavenly Father.

Walking away from a confrontation is a different thing entirely.  Jesus loved the people who he left when he walked away, but in his case, there was the bitter taste of rejection in the parting.  I’m sure he felt it, but he walked on in faith, trusting those he left to the work of his Father.  He had other people to love and didn’t have time to look back.

Recently, our culture has become polarized, with confrontation becoming almost normal.  Strong differences of belief or opinion between sworn brethren become the catalyst for conflict, and few of us enjoy the results.  It seems that any rule can be sacrificed in the pursuit of one’s particular viewpoint.  At the same time, some decry any possibility that we should separate, considering Christian unity as a paramount command of Jesus and other Biblical authors.  One side must win and the losers must accept at all costs.  Nobody’s allowed to leave.

I definitely agree that unity is one of Jesus’ primary commands to Christians, but not to the point of compromising everything else.  Jesus considered himself a member of the nation of Israel (see John 1:11), but there were times when he decided to walk away.  If the confrontation had little to offer in terms of constructive communication, then it was time for the interaction to cease.  There were more spiritually fruitful pursuits on which Jesus wanted to spend his limited time.  Sometimes, leaving was the wisest option.

It’s always a good idea to follow Jesus’ example, and this is no exception.  Sadly, there are many who don’t care about respect or communication – they’re bent on standing their ground and winning the argument.  At those times, it’s best (as my mother used to say) to “leave well enough alone.”

I’ve struggled with walking away in the past.  It seemed too much like giving up on something.  But there are times when it’s the most positive choice.  God will provide other opportunities, or so I trust, to either overcome the differences or render the whole discussion moot.  I look forward to those times.

In the meantime, I’m at peace with sometimes just walking away.