Facing the Difficult!

Conflicts, problems, fears, dislikes, struggles, and everyday messes are things that we all like to avoid. Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, was faced with contrary, difficult people that disliked Him and struggled with Him throughout His earthly ministry. But He didn't run or hide or avoid those that were causing all of the stress and problems.

In the 1980's a retired couple was alarmed by the threat of nuclear war so they undertook a serious study of all the inhabited places on the globe. Their goal was to determine where in the world would be the least likely place affected by a nuclear war -- a place of ultimate peace and security. They studied and traveled, traveled and studied. Finally they found the place. And on Christmas they sent their pastor a card from their new home -- in the Falkland Islands. However, their "paradise" was soon turned into a war zone by Great Britain and Argentina in the conflict now recorded in history books as the Falkland War.

Jesus simply stayed His course. He continued to love, and care for even those that hated Him and wanted Him out of the way. Jesus lived out what he taught and what he wanted His followers to do. The Apostle Paul was often seen as a strong personality that could handle any thing the men of this world handed him. But then Paul wrote "That is why, for Christ sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, than I am strong."

It is not easy finding yourself in conflict or disliked or rejected. It is not fun to struggle with others and there is never a guarantee that you will succeed in changing there minds or their attitudes. Jesus was crucified by those that He had a conflict with and yet He never stopped loving them and trying to help them understand. Even on the Cross as He was dying He said "Father, Forgive them, for they know not what they are doing."

Oh, may I be more like Jesus!

Gene