John 7:3-8
New International Version (NIV)
3 Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.
6 Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. 8 You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.”
Boy, is this telling of the incredible humanity of Jesus. His own brothers believe that he's only doing what he's doing to become a public figure - a showoff, a crowd pleaser, a praisemonger. They've grown up watching his every move, and even they are skeptics. How hurtful that must have been.
Even so, he continues to patiently explain the reasons behind doing what he's doing. That's all he seemed to do for the final three years of his life... explain and explain and explain. And no one seems to get it. But... and here's the application for me... eventually, they do. They're as dense as posts, but with lots of time and love and patience, they eventually understand. His brother James ends up as a faithful follower, even writing one of the books of the Bible.
I just finished reading a book that was a breathing example of what time and patience and love can do. There's no way I can describe the entire story arc of In Front of God and Everybody, but the short version is that a family lives out Matthew 25 toward a couple that did not one whit to deserve it, going WAY above and beyond. This family, upon meeting this couple who were uppity and rude and brash (but in need), didn't just take them an apple pie. They gave up their own bedroom to their guests and slept in one of the kids' rooms. For months. And it didn't happen overnight, not by a long shot, but eventually this couple came to realize the incredible love of a Christian family.
We just have to keep working, and showing, and above all, loving. Even Jesus didn't get results overnight, but we can have hope that one day...
6 Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. 8 You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.”
Boy, is this telling of the incredible humanity of Jesus. His own brothers believe that he's only doing what he's doing to become a public figure - a showoff, a crowd pleaser, a praisemonger. They've grown up watching his every move, and even they are skeptics. How hurtful that must have been.
Even so, he continues to patiently explain the reasons behind doing what he's doing. That's all he seemed to do for the final three years of his life... explain and explain and explain. And no one seems to get it. But... and here's the application for me... eventually, they do. They're as dense as posts, but with lots of time and love and patience, they eventually understand. His brother James ends up as a faithful follower, even writing one of the books of the Bible.
I just finished reading a book that was a breathing example of what time and patience and love can do. There's no way I can describe the entire story arc of In Front of God and Everybody, but the short version is that a family lives out Matthew 25 toward a couple that did not one whit to deserve it, going WAY above and beyond. This family, upon meeting this couple who were uppity and rude and brash (but in need), didn't just take them an apple pie. They gave up their own bedroom to their guests and slept in one of the kids' rooms. For months. And it didn't happen overnight, not by a long shot, but eventually this couple came to realize the incredible love of a Christian family.
We just have to keep working, and showing, and above all, loving. Even Jesus didn't get results overnight, but we can have hope that one day...
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