“Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three." Luke 12:51-52
This is not the Jesus we usually talk about! This is the in-your-face, wake-up-and-smell-the-trouble-coming Jesus! Passionate, powerful and desperate for us to come to grips with reality.
Yes, Jesus brings us peace with God...but don't expect that to translate into peace with everyone else. Here He warns His disciples about what lies ahead: His own suffering and death, and the persecution they'll soon experience.
These are words we need to hear. Knowing Jesus, loving Jesus, following Jesus can and will be divisive. It will split your world apart; relationships with your family and your friends will crumble. Some will join you; others will reject you and the Jesus you follow.
You have something they don't -- a personal relationship with the only Person who can save and sustain you through life; the One who brings you peace with God and hope for eternity. You'll have found what others long for...but if they can't or won't accept it from Jesus, it's going to divide you from them.
Jesus is not telling you to hate those who don't follow Him or to pick a fight. His command to love others, even your enemies, always stands. But He is calling you to be prepared, to count the cost, to take a reality check.
So, don't hide your head in the sand and think it'll all be OK. Jesus wants you to know the stakes are high, and it could cost you everything. So be prepared to pay the price for following Him.
Taken from a daily devotional at www.notreligion.com
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