We all have passages that are our favorites. Of course, we also have discovered passages of Scripture that make us uncomfortable. It’s not because these passages have anything wrong with them. Rather it’s because they often point out aspects of our lives and character that are out of alignment with the will of our Heavenly Father.
One of the passages that cause me more than a little discomfort is in Paul’s second letter to his young disciple, Timothy. In the third chapter, Paul makes a statement with such concise boldness and clarity that is difficult for me to swallow at times. In verse 12 of this chapter he writes, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
Very few of us truly enjoy being disliked. Perhaps this is why many of the misconceptions in our culture regarding our faith cause some of us to be angered or upset by these seemingly unfair characterizations of Christ-followers as a whole. It would be great if people would simply accept us for who we are, rather than try to critique or harshly criticize those beliefs that we value in our lives.
While it would be wonderful if we could always communicate our faith without the possibility of rejection, we realize that in this fallen world, that is not a reality. As a pastor friend of mine used to say, it is not our task to worry about how people respond to the truth of God’s word, but it is our responsibility to proclaim it.
It should be our prayer that all that we say and do meets with the approval of the only One whose opinion truly matters. I guess it comes down to one of two options. We can allow our focus to be on simply trying to get along with and appease others, or we can live in a manner that pleases the One Who has saved our souls.
My prayer for you and myself is that we will not allow our desire to be liked to stand in the way of our being faithful to the calling that He has placed on our lives.
Blessings.