Read Luke 12:49-56
Faithfulness causes conflict. Practical Christianity disrupts the status quo of exclusiveness and control. Living the Jesus life places a Christian in opposition with the secular world.
We can too easily reduce this reality to the issue of "being nice"and treating others with the respect due to all humanity as each person is made in the image of God; however, to limit this Bible reading to our social behavior misses the point.
In this Scripture text, Jesus to speaking to both the crowd and his followers, then specifically to the crowd. With blunt honesty, Jesus is tells them that they will be confronted by persons who resist the kind of change that God requires for the wholeness of their lives and all creation.
What points of tension, in what relationships are you uncomfortable?
What alternative is God opening your heart and mind to consider?
What do you really risk losing if you live and love more like Jesus?
In the points of tension, in the uncomfortable relationships, how can you live more lovingly?
[Art credit: http://www.progressiveinvolvement.com/progressive_involvement/2013/08/lectionary-blogging-pentecost-13-luke-12-49-56.html]
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