Every single one of us slips up sometimes. We say something carelessly. Think something awful. Make a bad joke and cringe when we look back on it later, or throw out a little “Just kidding, God, sorry,” as we hope our comment didn’t leave us destined for eternal damnation. (Come on, we’ve all thought it at least once.) But Jesus isn’t talking about one-off slip-ups here, so put your mind at rest. This is about our attitude. It’s about not committing to God, refusing to fully accept Jesus, holding on to disbelief, and continually rejecting Christ with our words and actions. And, in this case, clamping on to these things to the point of attempting to discredit God’s works entirely. The Pharisees were present for Jesus’s miracles. They saw them with their own eyes but continued to deny the source of Jesus’s power. They continued refusing to receive Him for who He was. This persistence in not believing, in rejecting God despite everything, meant rejecting salvation on purpose. This was not an action of God. They did it to themselves through their own choices, over and over. Not only that, but in this passage they diminished Jesus, calling God’s work Satan’s work, and they ended up turning other people away, as well, twisting the purpose of Jesus’s miracles and dragging others into resistance with them. Still, despite the harsh-seeming lecture, Jesus offered grace. He gave them a warning but let them know they still had time. They could seek forgiveness. And why did He do that? Because He truly wants the best for everybody. He has compassion for us all, meaning He wants us all with Him, no matter how long it takes. (See 2 Peter 3:9.)

Consider these questions as you reflect on today’s reading:

Do you feel like you’re still holding on to any disbelief?

In what ways might your attitude or actions reject Christ’s presence in your life?

How do you feel about Jesus’s compassion—how He always gives more chances and more time?