while today

How does Jesus feel about you?  You and I are not always everything that we would like to be.  We’re not always living up to everything we should be, or could be, in Christ.  We are often afflicted with troubles and sorrow, even though we want to rise above it all.  We are sometimes overcome with fears and anxieties, even though we know we shouldn’t be.  We grow weary, even though we want to be strong.  We struggle with temptation, and sometimes fall into sin, even though we truly want to be pleasing to the Lord.  In all of this, how does Jesus feel about us?  Is He ashamed of us?

Listen to these words from Hebrews chapter 2: “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.  For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren…”(Hebrews 2:10-11 NAS95)

Not only is Jesus not ashamed of us, He is not ashamed to call us brethren!  He is not ashamed to claim us as His brothers and sisters!  Yes, even in all of our struggling and weakness, even though we sin, He still claims us.  This is because Jesus, as the One who sanctifies (makes us holy), and we who are being sanctified are all from one Father.  Note that this wonderful truth is for those who are being sanctified by Jesus.  It is not for those who stubbornly pursue the way of sin; it’s for those who are cooperating with Jesus in His sanctifying work within us.

Isn’t it wonderful to know that Jesus gladly associates with you?  Isn’t it wonderful to know that He calls you “brother” or “sister”?  And isn’t there something here that we can learn from Jesus about how we should view one another?  If Jesus is not ashamed to call us brethren, then neither should we be ashamed of any brother or sister who is struggling with trials or temptation. 

—Scott Colvin