Today I found myself once again reading in the journal of John Wesley. It is such an interesting look at life back then, and I am greatly inspired by seeing the way he lived his life. Today, this passage caught my eye:
"Soon after, a gentleman of Merton College, who was one of our little company, which now consisted of five persons, acquainted us that he had been much rallied the day before for being a member of the Holy Club; and that it was become a common topic of mirth at his college, where they had found out several of our customs, to which we were ourselves utter strangers. Upon this I consulted my father again." (from Journal of John Wesley, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
I can certainly relate to the challenge of folks laughing behind their backs at their customs - that weren't their customs at all. It can be a challenging thing to deal with people who do not care to find out the truth, but love to pass rumors about you no matter how far-fetched they may be. But even Jesus experienced ridicule, so I guess we can't be too surprised when we too have to face it on occasion:
"Now the Pharisees, who love money, had been listening to all this and began to ridicule Jesus." Luke 16:14 ISV
And this verse in Luke suggests a reason for it - differing values. Though we might wish it, I suppose we can't always expect respect from those whose values are very different from our own.
Another thing strikes me in this journal entry. This is not the first time John mentioned getting advice from his father, and it made me think. Are there times that I neglect to get advice from my Heavenly Father? And are there others - perhaps including my earthly father - whose advice I should be seeking more often?
Father, thank you for your willingness to guide and direct me! May I remember to ask for your advice and to listen for your answers to me! Father, as I face the challenges of life, I also thank you for my husband and the advice I receive from him. As I face various decisions in my life, if there are those from whom I should be seeking advice, please make that clear to me. Thank you for your love for me. I love you, Father!
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This blog is simply a sharing of my "daily bread" - my daily walk with God. If something I've said has touched your heart, or sparked a new thought, I'd love to hear from you.