More Than Bread Devotional for 5/5/08

John 8:54-56
54 Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad."

I find it amazing that most people I talk to speak of how loving and kind Jesus was. And truth be told, He was loving. He loved everyone, but that didn't keep Him from saying some things that weren't what we would consider nice. Most of the really harsh words went toward the Pharisees and the other hyper-religious people of His day. Many of the times He speaks harshly to try and get through the callous and hardened religious exterior of the self-righteous. And while we should certainly be imitators of Christ, I don't know that I would recommend this harsh approach to the average person. I have tried it in the past, and it is hard to come off as loving when you are admonishing someone. I know this because I have usually failed at it spectacularly when I have tried it in the past. If you have to admonish someone, try to stick to the Word of God and add little or nothing to it. God's Word is the best remedy for a hardened heart.