37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.
It seems strange that the people would ask Jesus to leave them. He had just helped out one of their fellow citizens. But don’t be too hard on them. We often try to push the answer away from us instead of embracing it. Those of us who struggled with alcohol and drug addiction know this very well. We knew the answer, but refused to quit. In fact we often fought against the answer, just like these townspeople. All Jesus had done was give a man his right mind back. But that can be very scary. They had all come to expect certain things from this man. He had become the ‘problem’ person in the area. Everyone could blame him if something was going wrong. The words “at least I am not like him” became a favorite excuse for individual bad behavior. Now the town would have to deal with their problems without their excuses. All the old finger-pointing routines would have to be changed. The one whom God had cursed was now the one whom God had blessed. It was just too much for them to handle. That is what is so scary about a man sitting dressed and in his right mind. If Jesus can do that for the demon-possessed man, what can He do for me? Radical things! And radical things are scary. When someone gets straightened out by the Lord whole families have to shift and change. Old routines have to be shifted. When soldiers come back from combat changes need to take place. The soldier has changed and the family back home has changed. Both have grown and adapted. It takes time for a new “us” to emerge. These townspeople were rejecting the idea of another possibility. They liked it the way the it was, and they didn’t want Jesus to mess things up any more than He had already.
The Arnold Journey 