"His brothers therefore said to him,
'depart from here and go into Judea,
that your disciples also may see
the works that you are doing,
for no one does anything in secret
while he himself seeks to be known openly.
If you do these things, show yourself to the world.'
FOR EVEN HIS BROTHERS DID NOT BELIEVE IN HIM."
John 7:3-5
Among the brothers of Jesus was James who would go on to become head of the Jerusalem church AFTER the death and resurrection of Jesus. Before that, neither James nor the other brothers of Jesus believed in him.
One can imagine the sorrow Jesus must have had that his own family did not believe in him. Instead, they urged him to work miracles and show himself "to the world" if he was who he said he was. It must have been a sore temptation for Jesus to resist, but resist he did.
vs 6:
"Then Jesus said to them, 'My time has not yet come...'"
Friends, we are called to faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ, a faithfulness that will place him first above all, and a willingness to choose HIM over loved ones. They may mock us, reject us, try to shame us. But our choice must be the choice that our Savior chose, that of rejecting the opinions of others including loved ones, and waiting on the Lord - not moving until so directed to. Yes, it will be difficult and very painful, but it is the mindset that he desires from us.
"He who loves father or mother more than me
is not worthy of me.
And he who loves son or daughter more than me
is not worthy of me.
And he who does not take his cross and follow after me
is not worthy of me."
Matthew 10:37-38
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