They Hated Jesus Too

Hello Brothers and Sisters! I wanted to take some time to share with you some things that I have learned during my study time as well as provide some encouragement for the sometimes very difficult life of a believer. As Christians we are called to love while also speaking truth into a world that operates very heavily on lies. This can lead to confusion, frustration, and discouragement for those who are trying to live a life pleasing to God while balancing relationships with loved ones and peers who may not have accepted Christ's gift of salvation.   

Where I work I come into contact with people who drink and use drugs in an effort to escape from their problems and find some semblance of peace or joy that they cannot seem to find otherwise. Though I cannot come out and say that Jesus is the solution to their problems, I can begin sharing truth with them and through this process many of them come to know Christ on their own. While I hope this is encouraging to hear, this is not the encouraging part of my blog. 

I am sure we have all heard the saying, "The truth hurts" and this is a very true statement. The unfortunate thing about human nature is that when we get hurt, especially if we do not have an intimate relationship with Christ (and sometimes even if we do), we hurt others. So in essence, when we speak truth to others it often hurts and then they try to hurt us back. Clearly this is still not the encouraging part. 

The encouraging part is written in Luke Chapter 4 verses 22-30: 

22 All who were there, watching and listening, were surprised at how well he spoke. But they also said, "Isn't this Joseph's son, the one we've known since he was a youngster?"
23 He answered, "I suppose you're going to quote the proverb, 'Doctor, go heal yourself. Do here in your hometown what we heard you did in Capernaum.'
24 Well, let me tell you something: No prophet is ever welcomed in his hometown...
28 That set everyone in the meeting place seething with anger.
29 They threw him out, banishing him from the village, then took him to a mountain cliff at the edge of the village to throw him to his doom,
30 but he gave them the slip and was on his way.

In this passage Jesus was in His hometown of Nazareth and He was speaking truth and fulfilling prophecies in the synagogue. At first everyone was in awe of how well He was speaking but they still paid no attention to the true meaning of His words. It was then that Jesus began confronting them with the truth about their attitudes, beliefs and behaviors. Immediately their mood towards Him shifted from awe to anger and hatred. They wanted to literally kill Jesus for pointing out that they were wrong. 

Let me explain why this can be encouraging to believers. Jesus shows us the importance of speaking and living the truth regardless of how angry it makes others. Though Jesus left Nazareth with an angry mob, who knows how many people reflected on Jesus' words after the heat of the moment and began living changed lives? 

I cannot tell you how many addicts I have worked with that sang my praises one minute and then cursed me down the hallway the next after being confronted about a behavior or attitude that would lead them back to drug or alcohol use. Human nature and the Devil work hand in hand to keep us stuck in states of denial and wrong thinking when it comes to our sin. We are thus lulled into a dream land full of lies and false reality until someone jolts us awake with words of truth and reminders of our true reality. 

With a similar reaction to pouring cold water on someone passed out on a couch many people jump up kicking and screaming when confronted with the truth. However, if the house was on fire the person would most likely come around eventually and thank you for saving their life. A moment of temporary discomfort is well worth an eternity of peace and communion with God.       

At this time that I would like to clarify that truth is to be shared at the appropriate time and with the appropriate motivations. Just as it is not nice to pour cold water on a sleeping person for no reason, speaking truth in order to hurt or bring shame or guilt onto someone is an inappropriate use of God's Word. We are to remember that Christ came to save and forgive us of our sins, not to load us down with shame or mock our inability to maintain perfect righteousness. In remembering to speak the truth in love ask yourself what shows more love: to allow someone to live a comfortable life temporarily or to share with someone how to live in paradise for eternity?

I pray that as you go about your day-to-day lives that you are encouraged even if someone reacts harshly to the truth. Remember, it is not you that they are truly reacting to. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts them of their sin and it will be their choice to repent and accept Christ or turn away and deny Him. At that point you have done your job and just like Jesus all you have left to do is calmly move on to your next mission field.