Take Heart, Son

It drove me crazy when they called me that word, but now I love it.

This morning I was reading part of Matthew. I ran across the chapter where Jesus first sends out His disciples. He gives (in my opinion) one of the most intense speeches in scripture, shifting back and forth from explaining the coming challenges and offering comfort.

Toward the end, he references a verse from Micah in the Old Testament, saying, "I have come to turn a man against his father and a daughter against her mother... a man's enemies will be the members of his own household." Chilling. I've often strugged with this part of the Bible. Is Jesus really wanting to break up families?

One of my favorite current commentators writes about this. "The greatest danger of idolatry comes not from what is bad, but from what is good - like love in family relationships. The greatest danger to the best comes from second best." So by focusing solely on my father here, I lose focus elsewhere. That makes sense.

Years ago, it drove me crazy when people (especially much older people) would call me son. Now, for some reason, I like it. It's comforting. Thankfully, Jesus does just that in the previous chapter of Matthew with two people, a man and a woman.

"Take heart, son. Take heart, daughter," He says.

God wants me to recognize Him as Father first--even before my biological father. It's difficult for me to recognize sometimes, but the Creator of the universe calls me "son." I love that. And it makes me take heart.