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Luke 2:7-And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
All my life I have heard lessons about how when Jesus was born, there was no room for them in the inn. These were good and important lessons for certain. However, recently I read something about this Scripture which gave me another perspective.
“I once knew a policeman who, after converting to Christianity, would not take the money that the local pimps quietly passed around his precinct so that the police would not arrest their prostitutes. A couple of other policemen approached him and said, “You’d better watch it. You are making the other guys very nervous. You have to take the money.” He refused, and after getting some anonymous threats, he had to move to another city. See the principle played out? You don’t have to be Jesus Christ to get people furious at being exposed for what they are. Just living an honest, moral life will expose gossip in the office, corruption in government, racism in the neighborhood. The manger at Christmas means that, if you live like Jesus, there won’t be room for you in a lot of inns.” (Timothy Keller, Hidden Christmas: The Surprising Truth Behind the Birth of Christ, 119 (Kindle Edition): New York, NY: VIKING)
When we follow Jesus, we need to be prepared for rejection. There will be a lot of places where we won’t be welcome, and a lot of people who won’t have anything to do with us. That is part of the cost of following the Lord.
John 15:20-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 keep yours also.
1 John 3:13-Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.
Lord, whatever the cost for following You, You are worth it. Help us to be true to You. Amen.