June 17, 2020
Psalm 69:7-10 … “It is zeal for your house that has consumed me; the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” vs. 9
We don’t know that Jeremiah wrote any psalms, but given the prophetic tone of Psalm 69, he could have penned its words. In every age Prophets spoke with passion and paid for it with rejection and persecution. Even friends and relatives turned against them. It’s that prophetic part of discipleship that is a huge stumbling block for us. Many followers of Jesus want nothing more than peace and harmony in their lives. We love to be liked and receive the praise of others. We want the approval of those who are close to us and if someone becomes upset with what we’ve said or done we can’t even sleep at night. So when the Christ within starts burning our hearts with unpopular convictions we do our best to keep the words from crossing our lips, or at least water them down to avoid giving offense. Often that works well—many of us can go years without ever being offensive. We even count that as a virtue and may even imagine that if Jesus had been more careful about what he said, he wouldn’t have been put to death. Thank God that not everyone feels this way, and that there are Jeremiahs among us who don’t give a fig about being liked, and who speak boldly in the face of injustice. They are the true heroes of the faith and it’s through their provocative words that change happens in this world of darkness.
Thought for the Day: For what am I willing to risk disharmony in my relationships?
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