Janice is an attractive woman in her mid-30s. She has looks, friends and a successful career. A few years ago she also became a Christian—to the horror of her atheist father. Since then her visits home have become more and more difficult. Each week her father pummels her with reasons why she should abandon her ‘fairy tale’ faith.
This relentless pursuit of Janice’s de-conversion is not entirely selfish. Janice longs to be married but has decided only to marry a Christian. Her father wants to see his daughter fulfilled and sees her faith as the roadblock. “What you believe is a lie,” he tells her, “and it’s keeping you from marrying available men.” Janice often feels weary.
Jesus was clear about the impact He could have on families. His coming would turn son against father, daughter against mother and divide whole households along the borderlines of belief (Matthew 10:35). “Your enemies will be right in your own household!” He said (Matthew 10:36). Ironically following the Prince of Peace can result in war.
If division comes, however, Jesus revealed which side we should choose. “If you love your father or mother more than you love Me, you are not worthy of being Mine” (Matthew 10:37). Only such radical allegiance saves one’s soul and transforms the lives of others. Only this leads to true life (Matthew 10:39).
I admire my friend Janice. She’s faced the full force of family opposition to her faith and her desires to follow Jesus. She loves her parents, continually weathering their attacks on her beliefs. And although her older sister has had a child and her younger sister is getting married, she continues to wait for a Christian husband while she stays faithful to her first love.
One day she will receive her reward in full.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: John 2:1-25
More:
Read Luke 18:28-30 to see the reward Jesus promises to those who radically follow Him, and to discover when it will come.
Next:
How has your obedience to Jesus caused you to suffer? How do you show that He is a higher priority than your desires?
yemiks1 on June 18, 2012 at 1:13 am
Blessed be your WORDS O’Lord! Who is faithful, just & ever true.amen
dabac on June 18, 2012 at 3:48 am
Bless her Lord in her struggle to stay strong in Christ,
give her a decent husband by your heart, lots of children and blessings.
And open the eyes and hearts of her parents.
sheridan voysey on June 18, 2012 at 8:26 am
A wonderful prayer to which I can only add ‘Amen’.
marilynmk on June 18, 2012 at 3:46 pm
My sister and I had been bombarded of our newly found faith in Christ several years ago . But lately since we have been living our faith diligently(in God’s grace that we could only boast),some of our family member are coming to our christian faith as well and slowly inquiring about Christianity. Just do what is right in the eyes of God and in due time we will be rewarded.
alli on June 18, 2012 at 9:22 pm
the biggest lie is that you have to compromise this happens to me ppl try to get you to lower your standards, but i think if its good enough for God why not me. the devil is a liar. anyone who wants you to compromise either has no faith or thinks very little of you. Our family are those that obey GOD.
daisymarygoldr on June 20, 2012 at 10:24 pm
Thanks Sheridan Voysey, for sharing your friend’s story. This has greatly encouraged me to remain faithful to my first love. It is true; when someone truly decides to be Jesus’ disciple, it brings a conflict of loyalties often with their own family members. In such circumstances, love for Jesus must take precedence over the natural love of family.
“For the sinful nature is always hostile to God” (Romans 8:7)—and all natural or unregenerate people, even those in our own families are indeed God’s enemies. Sometimes Cain-like carnal Christians who refuse to obey God are also enemies right within the household of God. When a person is facing a trial, his response towards God and His family- the Church, would easily show whether he is a friend or foe.
Those who have stood firm in their faith and are sold out to Christ often suffer persecution from people who are very close to them—even those within the church. A house divided is sad… but not altogether bad. It provide a criterion for separating the spirit of truth from the spirit of error; the tares from the wheat and the sheep from goats.
Jesus’ teaching on 100% allegiance to God is not a widely accepted truth. Some obey but most don’t and this divides members of the same family into opposite camps. And if you choose to be on the Lord’s side, it may cost you the love and support of your very own family. However, in the end “you have earned a blessing.” (Exodus 32: 26-29)
rafoltman on July 3, 2012 at 6:14 pm
Better to be completely in than unequally yoked. I thought that meeting my wife in a catholic church and marrying a catholic was equal. Little did I know what Christ had in store. I am now saved but my wife is not and over the last 10 years has been rough to say it nicely. We just celebrated 28 years and I am committed to her but the ride is rough. Between the spiritual battles, diabetes issues and “normal” day to day stuff it is not fun. Prov 3v5-6 keeps me focused and only on Him can I trust. What is seen is temporary and what is unseen is eternal. Eternity will be worth the wait and tribulations. In Him…