Do you remember that song, “Back Stabbers” by the O’Jays?
Every time I think about the story of Lazarus ‘being raised’ from the dead, I can almost hear
that song playing in the background. Let me pause and explain. Lazarus was not
resurrected, he was resuscitated. There is a difference! While both speak to someone
coming back to life, the resuscitated one will eventually die again. The one who is
resurrected lives forever. Lazarus would die again. Christ will live forever. And while
Lazarus’ resuscitation was a miracle, it also marked a shift in the ministry of Jesus.
It was after this moment that the religious leaders began to seriously plot His death.
Healing the sick was one thing. Feeding thousands was one thing. But raising someone
from the dead? That disrupted systems! That threatened power! That risked drawing
the attention of Rome in ways they could not control! So, when they saw Lazarus—once
dead, now alive—you can almost cue the O’Jays: they smile in your face… all the time they
want to take your place.
Can you see the scene?
Mary and Martha, weeping and rejoicing at the same time, unwrapping their brother from
the cloth that once bound him. Tears falling, hands trembling, gratitude overflowing.
Jesus standing there among them—present, powerful, and yet still deeply moved. The
crowd praising God. And then… off to the side.
A small group. Whispering. Watching. Plotting. Same miracle. Same moment. Different
posture. And that tension is real!
Most of us know what it means to be walking in purpose, doing what God has called us to
do—and still sense that somewhere in the background, that same song is playing. It can be
distracting. It can shake you if you let it. But what I love about Jesus in this moment is what
He does not do.
He does not chase the whispers.
He does not confront the plot.
He does not try to control what others are planning.
Because Jesus understands something deeper. That even betrayal has boundaries. That
even opposition has limits. That even what was meant for harm can be used for God’s
greater purpose!
As Paul would later write in Romans 8:28: “All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.”
Not some things. Not easy things. Not safe things.
All things.
So, it may not be a formula to solve—but a truth to rest in. If I love God… If I am walking in what God has called me to do… Then, I am not consumed with who is whispering, plotting, or positioning. Because God is already working.
Working in the light.
Working in the shadows.
Working even through what I do not understand.
And somehow, someway… it will come together for good. That truth quiets the song. It steadies your heart. And it reminds you—you are not alone in the moment, and you are not unprotected in the process. So, keep walking. Keep trusting. Keep showing up.
God is still at work.
Amen.
Dr. Ron Bell, II
