Early on, as Jesus chose His apostles, taught truth, and worked miracles, His “mother and brothers” (Mark 3:31) were very concerned: “But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, ‘He is out of His mind” (3:21).

Why might they have thought that Jesus, as the New American Standard says, had “lost His senses”? Some possible ideas might be…

1. He had left His home, His business and any income.
2. He was on a collision course with the religious elite.
3. He had attracted a varied, strange group of followers.
4. He had started forgiving the sins of other people.

But these things, instead of making us think Jesus was crazy, lead us to appreciate Him all the more. Using the same four points we say…

1. He was willing to dismiss His own earthly security.
2. He was willing to set aside His own personal safety.
3. He was willing to live beyond the verdict of society.
4. In forgiving, He showed Himself to be God’s Son.

He was not crazy, beside Himself, or out of His senses. He knew what He was doing every step of the way. He was showing who He was.  And by example He was showing us how to live today!

– by Robert Hines