One of the most important parts in my talk, I think, was referencing the man in the Gadarenes from whom the demons were cast out. I did not remember writing about it before.
In fact, I had referenced it twice, in May 2017:
https://preparedspork.blogspot.com/2017/05/trying-to-be-like-jesus-time-to-heal.html
https://preparedspork.blogspot.com/2017/05/trying-to-be-like-jesus-potential.html
Naturally, this was when I was writing about trying to be like Jesus, so I went over many, many things; I wouldn't expect to remember them all. Some incidents struck me more at the time, while I was aware of other incidents and people that related.
I am going to try and recreate the thinking, and where it changed. Remember, the talk was about discipleship. Sometimes just looking at things through a different lens makes the difference.
One thing I had noticed before was how the method Jesus used for healing blind people changed multiple times. I did write about it in 2017, but I had noticed it earlier:
https://preparedspork.blogspot.com/2017/04/trying-to-be-like-jesus-healing-blind.html
While I can't rule out that they had different forms of or causes for their blindness, I tended to think it was more about giving them spiritual as well as physical healing.
For example, the man who kept clamoring more loudly (and there are some details that blur between the two men and Bartimaeus, so I don't want to be too specific there), that indicated he already strongly believed in the Lord's power and had a desire for healing that would persist in the face of opposition, as people told him to quiet down.
Maybe that's why it was so instant, whereas the man blind from birth did not know what was happening. Instead, he had a chance to grow in knowledge and testify of it gradually.
Regardless, it was looking at that that made me look at any interactions with Jesus knowing that he knew the other person's needs and intent on their welfare. This also meant empathy and an understanding of what they were ready to accept.
So when he is discouraging people volunteering to follow him, or telling the Syrophenician woman he will not heal her daughter (though he does, just with some more teaching), there are things that can seem harsh to us as onlookers. They quite possibly felt harsh to the people in those encounters, but that I have to believe were ultimately designed for their good.
That is loving as Jesus loved.
https://preparedspork.blogspot.com/2025/09/as-i-have-loved-you.html
Then, the other thing that I had really taken to heart back in 2017 was writing about 3 Nephi 17:
https://preparedspork.blogspot.com/2017/02/trying-to-be-like-jesus-3-nephi-17.html
The people had taken in as much teaching as they could absorb, so he wanted to give them a rest, but they didn't want him to leave. With compassion he found another way to engage with them, healing, ministering to their children, and loving them without taxing their minds further, even though there was going to be time for that later, after they had rested.
That is what led me back to the country of the Gadarenes.
We don't know anything about him, or how he became possessed in the first place, but we do know that once healed he wanted to follow Jesus. He apparently was not in any shape to do so, but, from Luke 8...
38 Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,
39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.
40 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.
He still did what he was asked.
He was asked only for something of which he was capable.
He still did good things with his assignment.
Is that not being a disciple?
