And He came home, and the crowd gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal. When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.”
Mark 3:20-21 (NASB1995)
Today’s scripture is personal to me; as I shared in the past, I have been isolated from my family for many years because of my faith in God and Jesus, His Son. Therefore, I understand how it must have grieved our Lord to be criticised and, to a certain extent, rejected by His family. However, it should be remembered that our Lord’s family changed their minds, having seen the light of His true nature/identity after His resurrection.
Yet their initial rejection was not unexpected by Him, and nor should it be so for us with our family or friends. In His teaching on discipleship and the cost of it in Matthew 10, Jesus tells His disciples to expect opposition, even from their own families: “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household (Mat.10:34-36).
Dear Reader, There is good news for those who take up their cross and follow Jesus regardless of the cost to them – what we lose in this life will be repaid in Heaven – “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it” (Mat.10:39). Keep on the straight road with your Lord brethren. The rewards are worth it!
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Devotional Treasures
