There is a saying: “Familiarity breeds contempt”, which translates to: “Extensive knowledge of, or a close association with someone or something that leads to a loss of respect for them or it.”
How true this saying is. Let’s look at what Jesus Himself had to endure:
When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” So they were offended at Him. (Matthew 13:54–56 NKJV)
Because of the contempt Jesus had to endure, this is what is recorded in all four of the Gospels:
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. (Matthew 13:57-58 NKJV)
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. (Mark 6:4–6 NKJV)
Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.” (Luke 4:24 NKJV)
For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown. (John 4:44 ESV)
You may be the only true Christian in your family and/or at your work. You do everything you can to be the best Christian witness you can be. But no matter which way you turn, you are made to feel like a failure. If that is you, I want you to take hold of the following verses:
For the sake of Christ, then, I (Paul) am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10 ESV)
“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV)
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28 ESV)
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV)
Do not think what you are enduring is strange. We are told as the End Times stand before us, persecution against the true followers of Jesus Christ will increase, just as it did in His time. Jesus warned us so we would not be taken back by it:
“Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” (Matthew 10:21–22, 24–26 ESV)
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:34–39 ESV)
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.” (John 15:18–20 ESV)
Just think, two of Jesus’s own brothers, James and Jude (who wrote two of the Epistles in the Bible), never became believers until after Jesus rose from the dead and left this earth. So keep on being the witness you are. You may never know the impact you have on people around you this side of eternity, but God does!
Annointing 