Receive or Resist

I’ve felt the way that Daniel did in the story. Haven’t you? When we make our plans and are excited about our own ideas, it is hard to receive correction. We don’t want to listen to the little voice that says, That wasn’t kind. You need to apologize. It is hard to give up our way and change the plans we’ve made. Instead we want to prove we are right. Have you said, “But it wasn’t my fault,” or “I’m just trying to finish this”? It is when we are resisting the right way—Jesus’ way—that we make those excuses.

Have you ever thought what it would be like to have Jesus living in your town? As He went about helping the needy and teaching people how to live right, each person would have a choice. Would they receive Him and follow His ways? Or would they resist this “good guy” who wanted to change their lives and their plans? It was the Pharisees of Jerusalem that said, “If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and our nation.”* (John 11:48) They resisted Jesus—and put Him to death—because they didn’t want to change their ways.

How about you? When Jesus comes knocking at your heart’s door, will you let Him in? Maybe you have wanted to please Him and God has changed your heart. Some days it might seem easy to do the right thing and follow Jesus. But what about when Mom tells you to do something you don’t want to do, or when your brother is messing up your plans? It is then when Jesus says, “Take my way and learn of Me.” Will you receive Him, or resist Him and His love as the Pharisees did?