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Friday, September 23, 2011

Avoiding the Hurting Brother

# 546 - Today's Du-votional comes from: Mr 9:30-32, “Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it. For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day." But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.

Again we see the urgency of Jesus. He knows the time is short and He wants to spend it away from the crowds, teaching His disciples. But look, a new word has been added to His teaching! The word is “betrayed.”

The word speaks of a trusted person turning against a friend. This was unthinkable to these disciples. It was beyond their comprehension that one of them could possibly betray Jesus. Yet, Jesus has dropped the bombshell, this very unpleasant betrayal was going to take place.

Notice the reaction of the disciples. Notice how similar they are to us. They avoid the subject. They'd rather talk about it amongst themselves, (in a totally inappropriate way as we shall see) than go to the One who has the answers.

How often do we seek to avoid unpleasant realities? How often do we fail to make that consoling call or walk down a different aisle in the grocery store rather than come face to face with someone we know is facing a difficult situation?

Father the next time we are tempted to avoid a hurting brother or sister, remind us that You have not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, and help us to find ways to properly express that love and concern.

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