Just Because You Believe In Me

Friends, it’s time for another guest post. This one is from my friend, podcast listener, and Patreon supporter - Paul Huffman.

Do you know Paul? You should. (← FACEBOOK LINK!)

Enjoy.

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I do still read the Bible and do still gain wisdom from it.

As I read these verses this morning through different  Bible versions, it kinda struck me in a different way than they used to.

"Don’t be naive. Some people will question your motives, others will smear your reputation—just because you believe in me.

When people realize it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that makes them feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own family. There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate!"

- (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭10:17, 21-22MSG‬‬)

You know, we were always taught that these words pertained to those that were ‘lost’. They were the unchurched folks.

But the more I thought about this, I believe Jesus was talking about the Pharisees. It was they who would react this way to the new message of the kingdom that He was bringing. It was the religious who would be mad about it.

He came first to the Jews, the people of Israel, in Jerusalem.

I think for the most part if you were in Jerusalem you were one of the religious elite, or you were subjects of the religious elite. (And of course there was Rome and all that, but…..) Their world was Jerusalem. The place to be.

Jesus came to show both the Pharisee and the outsider that God was not who they thought he was. He is better.

I think in the verses above as Jesus was talking to His new followers, that his warning about this Way was about the reaction of the Pharisees. It was they who would cause harm to their reputation. Question and ridicule their motives.

This was not how the religious understood God to be. In fact, to them he could be no less than the punishing judge they made him out to be. It only made sense. And if you didn’t get on board, well.....

Jesus came proclaiming love, and they hated him.

Not much different than today, I think.

As we walk this new Way, in love, our motives are questioned. Our reputations are smeared. We are not bringing a God who makes them feel good, who fits their narrative. Our friends and even family turn on us. We’re told we’ve lost our way.

And we see the irony of coming in love, yet experiencing so much hate.

This new way sees all as equal. No us or them, good or bad, in or out. The religious can’t handle that.

We are one on this journey trying to figure it out together.

And what we are figuring out and learning is…..love wins.

God is better than we ever thought.

  • Paul

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