Perspective

Friday night, while listening to others share at small group, I was humbled. Here I was grumbling about all these things and it really it boiled down to me not being able to handle my parents caring about me. How silly does that sound...pretty ungrateful of me. I was reminded that I have a family that loves and cares about me and that is why they are nagging me...I really shouldn't be complaining about it because it's such a blessing to have parents who care. Parts of this verse came to my head at the end of the night..(only parts because I no longer remember it exactly..)

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

Given that, I'm still very saddened to notice the widening gap between me and the rest of my family on our philosophy, worldview and how that affects our lives; I guess especially with the election coming up, we end up facing decisions on how we think society should be. Ever since becoming a Christian, my views have been very different from the rest of the family. In fact, they're rather appalled at what I have to say sometimes. For them pragmatism, retribution, pure capitalism and convenience to the majority guide their views, which sometimes clash with grace, mercy, compassion and justice to the marginalized. I've been thinking about this verse for the last few days, it's one of the hardest ones to digest; to accept. ..

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn "'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law--a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. (Matt 10:34-37)

As Christ asks us to surrender our lives, I think my relationship to my non-believing family is the hardest thing to 'give up'. Although I think the verse speaks more about times during the tribulation, I see that there is a division. My greatest goal to love God wholly is my family's greatest fear. If Jesus came to my door today and asked me to drop my 'nets' and go follow, would I be able to leave instantly and not turn back? If God tested my faith in of an Abraham-Issac magnitude, will I be able to do it?