The One Good Choice

I shouldn't have broken up with my first true love (fourth through seventh grade) over a misunderstanding. But he could have explained to me what happened instead of waiting 40 years, when most of our life was already over. I shouldn't have broken up with my next true love (high school) over a summer crush. What a terrible thing to do. Both our hearts broken and for what? But that was long ago. He has had a normal life. There was another person (college) I probably could have married if I hadn't chosen a wild one instead of him. But the wild one didn't want to settle down and I didn't want to wait, and when he was ready to settle down, he settled down, but not with me. So, I went on my crazy way while I just went on whistling down the street like Jiminy Cricket. Finally met someone and got married, but I guess I wasn't ready then either. So, it didn't last. At least we're still friends. The point is I made so many dumb choices in my life, but I made one good choice, namely repenting of my sin and following Jesus. Jesus changed my life. He gave me a secure present, future and eternity that no one else could have done. However, it is not easy being a follower of Jesus. He gives us peace that passes understanding, and the Truth sets us free, but it doesn't make it painless to be rejected and hated by the world, including your own flesh and blood. But he suffered for us, and we will be persecuted also, he said. He has not left us orphans. He has said he would not leave us or forsake us and would be with us until the end of the age. If we can't accept Jesus on his terms we cannot commit to following him. We can only follow him on his terms. They are not the world's terms, they are not our terms, they are Christ's terms. Maybe that's why so many people choose not to follow Jesus, but, sadly and tragically, choose to get by on their own righteousness that cannot save them and cannot keep them from God's wrath. God told Isaiah that our righteousness was as "filthy rags." We could not be righteous. That is why God sent His Son to be the payment for our sin. If they rejected him, they're going to reject us. We should not be surprised. "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" (John 15:18-19).