John 7:5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

It took Jesus rising from the dead to convince His brothers that He hadn’t simply flipped out. However, that encounter indeed convinced them, and two of them contributed to the New Testament, and James was a leader in the Jerusalem Church. This fits Jesus’ observation that “Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” (Mark 6:4) The fact that it wasn’t surprising probably didn’t make it much less painful, however. We all have an innate need to be accepted, to be believed, and Jesus didn’t get that from His brothers. We tend to think of Jesus’ sacrifice in terms of the cross, but it began long before that. At Christmas we talk about what He laid aside to be born as a human baby, but most of the time we don’t think about everything involved in His being fully human. He took on not only our physical frailties but our emotional vulnerabilities too. That’s why it says in Hebrews, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) Those temptations include not only sex, gluttony and the like, but also such things as resentment, envy, and self-pity. Jesus endured all of that for us and came out on top, proving that in Him we can do so as well. We don’t usually include those things when we think about “the passion of the Christ!”

I have had my attention called to this issue several times in my life. Just yesterday I was talking with someone about the issue of being born in Japan and wanting to be fully accepted, but it hardly ever happening because of my being Caucasian. I don’t have room to complain when Jesus wasn’t accepted even by His own brothers! I have learned from experience that admiration isn’t the same as acceptance, and acceptance is the far deeper need. Many entertainers and the like are confused on that point, and discover the hard way that fame doesn’t equal acceptance. I need to remember that Jesus really did go through everything I encounter, in one way or another, and rest, relax, and rejoice in Him, allowing Him to carry me through and mature me in the process, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the gallery show and all the people who are coming to it. Some people I would really like to come haven’t, but there have been some pleasant surprises as well. Thank You particularly for the recent and long-past students of both Cathy and me who have come, and for the appreciation they have expressed for having been in our classes. I pray that today and every day I would look for and recognize Your blessings and discount all the rest, with proper gratitude for Your amazing grace. Thank You. Praise God!