Devotional :Unbelieving Relatives and Friends: Matthew 12:46-50; Mark 3:21

“For not even His brothers were believing in Him” (John 7:5, NASB).

One of the greatest blessings that a person can have is the belief and support of family and friends. We hear reports of this truth frequently. A person gets sick and their family and friends quickly come to see about them. A daughter’s husband leaves her causing great financial and emotional stress on the wife and their children. Family and friends rally around her helping her with financial donations and assistance with the care of the children. A family looses all of their property in a devastating weather situation, but their family, friends, neighbors, church, and people of good will do whatever needs to be done so that the family can recover from their loss.

However, there are times and situations that cause family and friends to reject their family member and neighbor. In today’s world people are being ostracized and even deserted by loved ones because the friends and relatives do not agree with the choices that the person makes. The family will not associate with them anymore because of the lifestyle that the person makes. Family and friends often want to have a say in their choices, and they often do not believe that their family member is doing the right thing.

In Jesus’ ministry He was making claims about Himself and performing miracles that family members did not believe. They did not believe His claim to be the Messiah. They did not believe that His miracles were authentic. His brothers wanted to have something to say about how He should make Himself known. They wanted Jesus to prove that He was the Messiah; that He was more than a carpenter’s son. His family members and people in the community refused to believe that He was different from them. Yet Jesus was doing what the Father commanded Him to do. Jesus knew that He was the Son of God whether family and friends believed it or not. Jesus accepted their denials about Him. Jesus knew that there were others that believed in Him. These were His true brothers and sisters.

It is no different for us. We love and honor our family members according to the flesh. However, it is more important that we do what the Lord has called us to do. We must accept those who believe in us and the work that God has called us to as our family and friends according to our shared faith. We cannot stop because of unbelieving relatives and friends.

Prayer: Lord, in spite of unbelieving relatives, we commit ourselves to You. Amen.