“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Matthew 10:34

Devotion to Jesus can create chasms in relationships.  These words from Jesus are shocking if I cling exclusively to verses that speak of Jesus being the Prince of Peace.  Are these principles contradictory?  Not at all.  Jesus is Peace.  And He will bring peace to those in disharmony when they seek His face and embrace His truth in unity.  But there are just as many times when He will offend those closest to me.  When that happens, I must suffer for righteousness sake and Jesus’ words are an incentive for me to remain faithful.

Oppressors don’t have to be soldiers, beating down the doors of Christian households to take them away to be killed or tortured.  The ones who persecute can be family members, fellow employees, and even children who strain against a parent’s obedience to Jesus.

This devotional reaches out to you today if you are one who suffers in any way because you love Jesus.  When the fire of love and devotion cause you to walk upstream against around you, know that Jesus sees you and will reward you.  As a wife, you may suffer the scorn and ridicule of an unbelieving husband.  As a husband, you may experience the cold shoulder of a wife who wishes your values were more temporal.  As a child, you may feel disowned because your passion for Jesus alters the future your parents desire for you.  As an employee, you feel excluded by everyone around you who are all too willing to play corporate politics.  As a pastor, you feel that your job is in jeopardy because the majority of your congregations wants feel-good-messages rather than solid Bible teaching.

The Prince of Peace is in you and around you. Peace is promised and it can be yours even though His presence has disrupted the harmony of your relationships. Breathe deeply as the Spirit breathes over you today.  Do it, not once, but as a way of life.  

You had the peace of Your Father in the midst of disharmony with your family and religious leaders. Your Father promised peace but peace in Your troubled world. I follow Your example.  Amen