I’m a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. I have been since I was a little kid. The Steelers seem to be one of those teams that have a polarizing effect on people. You either love them, or you hate them. Very few people are anywhere in between those extremes.
Last year I went to the game where the Steelers played the Browns in Cleveland. It was a freezing 11 degrees on a Thursday night in December. We made a memory, but I don’t ever have to do that again. I remember that the Steelers fell apart and suffered a devastating loss to the Browns that night. I was there with a friend who is a devoted Browns fan. As we turned to walk out, he said to me, “Cover up your gear.” What he meant was this, “Now is not a good time to let people know that you are a Steelers fan. They’ll be looking for a fight. It is better off to stay under the radar.” It was good advice.
Isn’t it funny that some things can be that divisive? But as I read chapter 7 of the book of John, I saw that the same thing can be true about Jesus. Take some time to read that chapter right now. You’ll see that Jesus words and very presence had a polarizing effect on people. They were either scoffing Him or worshipping Him. Either they were astounded by His miracles or offended by His teaching. And sometimes, it was both.
It is no different today. When we decide to follow Jesus, we may find that our family doesn’t understand. There may be others who are offended by the stand that we take or the changes in our lives. It may even lead to times of conflict or tension.
Today, pray that the Holy Spirit will help you to live for Jesus, even if it means that you will face conflict or opposition. Decide to live by His standards, no matter what those around you may be doing. Let’s pray that through our commitment to Jesus others will see the life that only He can bring.
Keep praying!
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