Day 250

Have you ever wondered how a particular family could have raised a child like that, either good or bad? I have. We never expect a NASCAR fan to come from the Japanese violin playing family next door. So when the people wonder about Jesus, and where He got his wisdom and the ability to do miracles, they look at his family and see the mismatch. His family was not something special. His brothers and sisters probably got called into the principle’s office and sat through detention.

Jesus was limited in what He could do in his home town because they didn’t believe in Him. I have had little impact on my own brothers and sister. I continue to pray for them. My sister loves the Lord, but my brothers don’t in a way that reflects my influence. So I invest my energies in fields where harvest is possible.

Jesus asks His disciples to exercise faith as they go out for the first time and extend Jesus’ ministry. They are to go and trust that God will provide for their needs. And they did, because God did.

Guilt can be a very powerful tool. Herod, the political leader of that area of the ancient world, was racked with guilt over his own part in having John the Baptist killed. His guilt leads him to believe that Jesus is John the Baptist raised from the dead. Jealousy can also be a powerful tool. It drove Herod’s wife’s jealousy to the point of murder. Pride can also be a very powerful tool. It drove Herod to kill John to save face before his guests. Has your jealousy or guilt or pride driven you to act?