Today’s reading: John 7:1-13
John 7 is another chapter filled with much to consider. Right out of the gate this morning, my attention was drawn to the exchange between Jesus and his brothers. Jesus’s brothers didn’t believe in Him, and that created tension between them. So with the Feast of the Booths approaching, the brothers take a passive-aggressive approach prodding Jesus to attend the feast and step up to the plate to go public and get noticed with his miracles. They act like they have his best interests at heart, but really, they don’t.
I like how Jesus responds. He keeps his focus on his responsibilities and on what God has for Him to do. He doesn’t engage in any sort of debate with them about who He is or why He’s doing what He’s doing or how He’s doing it. This is his family, and dealing with family members who don’t believe like you do is always touchy and difficult. But at this point and in this situation, Jesus knows the response that will have the most impact is his example.
Family is precious. Yet, our family can also be a source of great tension, especially when we aren’t all on the same page spiritually. So as we head into this holiday season where most of us will be spending extra up close and personal time with family, how will you choose to respond? Tami
Source: Tami’s Blog
