Article October 4, 1969 Issue

Coping with Interruptions

NANCY J. JAGEL

A young woman who had been brought up to "always finish what you start" began to find, as her house filled up with children, that the demands of motherhood never seemed to enable her to finish anything she started. Although she thoroughly enjoyed the duties and privileges afforded by her busy household, this one aspect of motherhood remained both frustrating and irritating. Since she was a student of Christian Science, she decided to think about this problem from the standpoint of her religion.

Was Christ Jesus ever interrupted? If so, how did he react? In rereading the Gospel accounts of Jesus' life, she found that his career was marked by frequent interruptions. For instance, while on his way to heal Jairus' daughter, who was at the point of death, he found himself in a crowd. He didn't push and shove or shout that he was badly needed elsewhere. Even in the crowd he must have been at peace, his thoughts reflecting the presence of divine Love, for a woman in the throng touched his garment and was healed. He stopped his journey long enough to call her forward and receive her acknowledgment of healing. Then, unconcerned by this delay, he went on to Jairus' house and instantly restored his daughter (see Mark 5).

Once, when teaching in the synagogue, Jesus was interrupted by the shouts of an insane man. He evidently was not annoyed. He dealt with the interruption by casting out the "spirit of an unclean devil" ^{Luke 4:33;} and healing the man.