They Will Try to Stone You

Scripture: John 8:47-59

I don’t know what it is about human nature, but we are quick to try and kill that which we don’t understand or don’t agree with.  More often than not the battle cry spoken is “We’re right and you’re wrong!”  Very self righteous, indeed!  Jesus encountered this quite a bit in his three year ministry.  In fact,it is what eventually led him to the cross.  If they had only known who he was…

In John 8:47-59, it is clear the people do not see Jesus for who he was; in fact they flat out asked him if he operated under a demonic influence.  Not only that, they reduced him to a Samaritan lineage knowing full well his mama and daddy were Jewish!  Talk about insult!  These were not just random people either; these were the religious astute of this time.  If anyone should have known him, THEY should have known him.  Nevertheless, they called him a demon and an outcast.

Jesus gave an awesome example of what you should do when someone refuses to see you for who you are and insists that are less than.  Remember who you glorify.  When provoked to defend himself, Jesus stated, “"If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me.”  He went on further to point out that they did not recognize the Father in him because they did not know the Father, further justifying his lack of response—it was not about him and they were blind to who he was anyway.  He proved himself right because by the end of the chapter he gave them a glimpse of who he was and they couldn’t handle the truth… the rocks started flying.

When you live for God, you can not stop the rocks from flying.  Nor can you argue down every naysayer that questions who you are and what you represent.  You can, however, follow the example of our Savior.  When the insults start, forget about your self and focus on glorifying the Father.  After all, it’s all about Him.  When the rocks start flying, hide yourself in the love, protection, and truth of the Father, allowing Him to graciously and victoriously fight your battle.  

Thought: Do you know who you are in Christ?  If so, can you clearly articulate it under pressure?  Do you believe it? 

If not, do you have the resources in place to discover who you are in Christ?  When will you commit to learning?  Today is a good day!

Tracey Bowen

Miami, Florida