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This is not a shiny-happy passage today but is instead a very
difficult one. Jesus is warning his disciples that people are going
to hate them if they do their ministry well. He is reminding them
that he is hated for preaching the Gospel and that, because they
follow him, they too will be hated. Now, at first glance this might
seem foreign to us. I mean, not many of us have had people act
hateful toward us because of our faith, but perhaps this is because
we have hidden our faith a bit. The truth of the matter is that if
we really lived out our Christian faith every single day our lives
would look different.
Think of it simply this way. How often has your faith been offended
by something a friend or loved one has done? Probably many times.
One of the hardest things to do is to object to the behavior of a
friend or loved one. We are afraid they will reject us or be angry
with us. And yet this is exactly what Jesus asks us to do. We should
never be afraid to stand up for our faith and beliefs. And if we do
that, we might generate some anger from other people. The truth is
that Christianity is not a consequence-free religion. It should have
real ramifications in our lives and our relationships. Just remember
that if you stand up for your beliefs and someone gets angry with
you, they are angry with Jesus, and that is alright sometimes.
Prayer: God, please help me to say what I believe. Help me
to integrate my faith into my life that, through my words and
actions, others might know you better and those who hate you might
grow to love you. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
[Text from file received by Phil
Blackburn, First Presbyterian Church] |
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