Contrast, life is full of it.
There is no light without darkness
There is no joy without sadness
There is no healing without sickness
There is no love without mourning
There is no freedom without bondage
There is no knowledge without ignorance
There is no satisfaction without hunger
We would not recognize the good things without contrast of the bad. If you are feeling the “good” today, you know it because you’ve felt the bad. If you are feeling the bad, know that God is sending the good your way.
Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets. Luke 6:20-23 NIV
Jesus has just chosen his 12 apostles and this is his first lesson for them. Their calling would be a difficult one. Sometimes we are fooled into thinking that being a Follower of Christ should be easy and without struggle. Right off the bat, Jesus tells us the Truth.
Tough times may come because we are Followers. But tough times are just part of Life too. When I finally embraced the fact that my sickness, suffering, hardship, sadness, (fill in the ________ ) were temporary, I could dare to reach for joy in the midst of them all. One more bit of good news, we don’t always have to wait for heaven to experience relief!
“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.””
Mark 10:27 NIV