conflicting

"Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12


This is Paul writing this last letter to Timothy, a man Paul considered his son.

Paul was in prison in Rome, knowing full well he would probably be killed soon.

Simply by living His life as a Christ follower had gotten Paul into massive trouble...

     ...he had been in prison for quite some time, & now the powers that be were fixing to kill him.


I think we should all realize that our place in this world isn't as entitled & powerful as we would like it to be.

Following Jesus is not a life that the world is comfortable with.

It goes against everything the world believes & tells us is important.

Just by living our lives & allowing God to remake us into persons who are like Jesus really makes the world uncomfortable.

What the world considers to be the way to live simply looks sinful & selfish compared to truly following Jesus.

And to the world a life fully lived following Jesus looks stupid, judgemental, arrogant, rigid, &/or narrow - or any number of other things.


So let's not be naive...

     ...let's understand that who & what we are in Him will always be in conflict with the way the world thinks...

     .....& understand that will always bring some sort of a level of conflict.