hometown acceptance

What i'm going to write about tonight is what i've been reading on today. I have been reading in Luke and i'm also going to be cross referencing with some things my pastor spoke on the other night. In Luke 4:16-24 Jesus went to Nazareth after being baptized and tempted by satan and began his ministry. He goes to his hometown and reads a prophecy from Isaiah and basically tells them, I am fulfilling this prophecy, I AM the messiah. verse 22 says that they were amazed by his gracious words but said how can this be, isn't this Joseph's son? These people in his hometown weren't amazed because the messiah had come, they thought his words were eloquent and all, but they said no he's not the messiah, that's just Joseph's son. In Matthew 13:58 Jesus went to Nazareth and again they said, no who does he think he is, he's just Joseph's son. His family and all his friends live right here and we know who he really is. The bible says that because of their unbelief he could do no mighty works, or not many miracles.  Jesus says no prophet is accepted in his hometown or by his family. How true are our savior's words? The people that we grew up with see us for who we were, they see us for the mistakes we've made and the bad choices and just for being "just us". Jesus never made any bad choices or mistakes and yet they still wouldn't believe in him, what chance do we have who do make mistakes? In my hometown, those people see me that way. They see me as the one who made this mistake or that, and they say who does she think she is preaching the gospel? It was the same for Jesus minus the mistakes. Jesus warns us that those people aren't going to listen to us. I think this was such a good warning for us. It's hard not to get discouraged when you are trying to witness to your friends and family and they won't listen to you, but Jesus went through it too. It appears that Jesus family turned against him too except a few members. I have tried to witness to family and friends in the past and it hasn't really worked for me, there have been a few exceptions, just as there were with Jesus in Nazareth, but mostly not. At one point a few years ago, I decided that I would sit down and write an email to every one of my family members, on my side and my husbands side and basically say listen, I love you and I want you to know Christ. Whoo, that was something. And you know pretty much every one of them responded with anger! I believe in the same way they did to Jesus. Like who do you think you are? But as Christ did, I did with them. Regardless of whether they listened to him or not he spoke the truth and that's what we have to do, we aren't relieved from our duties to witness to them, but I believe with having the knowledge to not to get frustrated if you get the same response. You know, Jesus burden is light, but we will lose friends and family along the way when we choose to live and follow God. I have lost literally every one of my family members because of the life I have chose to live, and the sad part is is that they say they are christians. I'm not speaking and judging their hearts because I don't know, but it's ironic that when you choose to live and show God in your life and decide that your not satisfied with just barely making it in the gate, but going all way and living and breathing God, you get judged and condemned by the "christians". I don't regret the decisions that I have made in my life to walk away from my family though, I have chosen to follow Christ and live my life in a certain way for not just for me but for my kids, a different way than i was raised, and I'm glad I did it. Not to say it isn't hard, that was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made, but I also think it was one of the best for my walk with God. So, let me encourage you to first share the gospel with your family and friends but not to get discouraged when they don't listen to you. Continue to pray for them and to pray for sowers to come into their lives that they will listen to! And secondly, make the decisions to follow Christ no matter the cost. Whether it's the "cool" thing that everybody else does, or if it's what your family approves of, it doesn't matter. Follow the Lord and show your faithfulness to him! God bless!