Nice Wolf

 I was reading through the beatitudes and a couple of things struck me. One being that the first three God blesses those who are poor, hungry and those who weep all could possible out of a person’s control. It could just be the circumstances that they were born into or by the actions of others. However it’s the third one that really caught my attention today and that is what blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you mock you and curse you for being a Christian. Here is what struck me; for people to know this about you, you have to do something. You have to do something so that people will know that you follow Jesus. I’ll guarantee that if you do this and do it right, by speaking nothing but the truth there will be those who hate, exclude, mock, and curse you. If no one has ever done this to you, you are probably not doing anything for Christ.

When you get to verses 24 and 25 of Luke 6 these things are pretty easy to understand. The rich will get theirs those who laugh now will cry later we get that. But its verse 26 that really caught my attention today it says:

“Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets. (Luke 6:26 ESV)

If you hold back the truth, if you are afraid to speak of Jesus, if you think you might offend someone, if you are PC when it comes to the Gospel woe to you, for you have become a false prophet. Many people become false prophets out of good intentions by not wanting to turn someone off. In so many cases today it’s not so much what a person says that makes them a false prophet it’s what they don’t say. They are a wolf in sheep’s clothing and don’t even know it. Nice wolf.  Don’t let that happen to you by quote un-quote being nice.

Here are the Beatitudes if you wish to read them:

²⁰ Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, “God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. ²¹ God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied.God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh. ²² What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. ²³ When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way. ²⁴ “What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now. ²⁵ What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger awaits you. What sorrow awaits you who laugh now, for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow. ²⁶ What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets.