Daily Devotional march 19 - Quit Looking To People For Your Confirmation

"Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses and of Juda, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house." Mark 6:3-4

Paraphrased:
'Hey, isn't this the guy who grew up down the street. I know his brothers and they were a real bunch. We knew his sisters too. There's no way that Jesus is a prophet. We would have know it. You remember his mom and the trouble she was in 30 years ago. And Joseph marrying her when she should have been stoned. Who's he trying to kid. We've been in town, going to this synagogue for forty years and now he is trying to make a mockery of us. He's just another charlatan.'

It was that way for Jesus and maybe for you at times. Have you ever had a great idea and you were just bubbling with enthusiasm and excitement. You just couldn't wait to tell you friends or family in hopes they would stand behind you and help you to see your dream come true. And then...

These are some observations that you might want to look for if you are about to tell somebody about some great idea, thought or positive change you are about to make in your life:

1. Don't be surprised if your family would rather you just keep your job and work for 'the man' until you die.
2. Don't be surprised if your best friends, even your very best, top of the list friend, finds some way to mess it up for you, or in many cases take it from you or explain to you why you aren't worthy.
3. Don't be surprised if people start to bring up something you did twenty five years ago when you were still a teenager, holding it against you like it happened yesterday.
4. Don't be surprised if others start to compare your idea or your change of mind or your new found way of life with every other idea that has failed.

Jesus could do no mighty work in His own town and maybe it is true for you too. But, don't be discouraged. There are many wonderful, positive, intelligent, kind, and open minded people that would just love to hear your ideas and stand behind you and support you and help you reach the pinnacle of success. You might have to take the best that you have and use it on strangers, maybe in another town, maybe in another state, but don't let the 'prophet' in you, die in you, just because of the close proximity of naysayers.

No. "...A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.'