MY FATHER'S BUSINESS

   When Jesus was twelves years old, He said to His mother,

       "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"                                                      (Luke 2: 49)

   

   As believers in Christ today, should not we also be about our Father's business? 
   Is it possible, however, that some true believers live in fear of the thoughts that others are thinking about them if they take a stand for the Lord?

  Jesus said,
      "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.  If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.  But all these things they will do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.  If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin ; but now they have no cloak for their sin.  He that hateth me hated my Father also."   (John 15: 20-23)

   One fear that can grip people is the fear of name-calling:  names such as "Jesus freaks", "Bible thumpers", or "you must be one of those born-again Christians".
   Another fear can be when people challenge our belief in the Bible, even though they do not believe in the Bible, as if they are saying that they know more than God knows; or that they are laughing at us for believing in the Bible.
   Perhaps here we should ask the question:  Why do people, who do not believe in the Bible, spend their time challenging people who believe in the Bible?  Do they not have anything better than they can do with their time?
   Let us consider Butch and how he likes to kick sand in the faces of other children in the sandbox.
   Butch could certainly be doing better things with his time, but Butch likes to aggravate  other kids. This helps him to think that he is king of the sandbox as he enjoys watching kids squirm and run home crying to mommy. 
  The truth of the matter, however, is Butch has an evil heart, and no love abides in him.
   And so it is with many adults we meet that are just like Butch:  loud, noisy, aggravating, proud---and their hearts are evil.
   Then there are those that laugh about the return of Christ as if the return of Christ is something funny.

      "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creations."  (2nd Peter 3: 3-4)

   Since we know and believe Christ will return, we could say the last laugh is on the scoffers, but that would be retaliation, and we know the Bible forbids us,

      "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath:  for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."  (Romans 12: 19)

   Certainly, all of us  can experience fear in our work in our "Father's business"  from time to time, but to overcome our fears, we must also trust in the Lord as we trust in His Word,

      "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."  (Romans 8: 37.

   Remember, too, that a Butch will appear in the sandbox from time to time with nothing better to do with his time; therefore, refuse to debate his scoffer's questions and Butch will disappear.