Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

December 28– Evening

by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and edited by W. C. Neff

“I [Jesus] did not come to send peace on earth, but a sword.'”

—Matthew 10:34

To be sure, the Christian will make enemies. He will try not to, but if he does what is right and believes what is true, he may lose every earthly friend. And yet he will count it but a small loss since his great Friend in heaven will be even more friendly and deal with him more graciously than ever. O, you who have taken up his cross; don’t you know what your Master has said? “I have come to set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother; a man’s enemies will be found in his own household.”

Christ is the great Peacemaker; but before peace, he brings war. Where the light comes, the darkness must retire. Where truth is, the lie must flee; if it remains, there must be a fierce conflict because the truth cannot and will not lower its standard. The lie must be trampled underfoot. If you follow Christ, you will have all the dogs of the world yelping at your heels. If you would live to stand the test of the last tribunal, you can count on the world not speaking well of you.

He who is a friend of the world is an enemy to God. If you are true and faithful to the Most High God, men will resent your unflinching fidelity, since it is a testimony against their sins. Fearless of all consequences, you must do what is right. You will need the courage of a lion, pursuing without hesitation a course which will turn your best friend into your fiercest foe. For the truth’s sake, you must put your reputation and affection on the line and do it constantly; this requires a degree of moral principle which only the Spirit of God can work in you. Follow manfully in your Master’s steps, for he has traveled this rough way before you. It is better to endure brief warfare and eternal rest than false peace and everlasting torment. [M&E]