Being rejected by family for keeping Torah is a rough deal…
It happens, though.
What does scripture say about it?
Matthew 10:21-22
21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against their parents and have them put to death. 22 And you will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end shall be saved.
Matthew 10:32-39
32 “Therefore whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
34 “Do not think that I came to bring shalom on the earth; I did not come to bring shalom, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set
‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother, and
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.’
37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me isn’t worthy of Me, and he who loves son or daughter more than Me isn’t worthy of Me. 38 And whoever does not take up his cross and follow after Me isn’t worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
Luke 14:25-27
25 Now great crowds were traveling with Yeshua; and He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters—and yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.
John 15:18-21
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. But you are not of the world, since I have chosen you out of the world; therefore the world hates you.
20 “Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
21 “But all these things they will do to you for the sake of My name, because they do not know the One who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin.
It is easy to read our bibles and not really slow down and think about these things.
“These things must apply to other people, because I don’t have this in my life…”
But here’s the thing…
Messiah said these things WILL happen.
He didn’t say these things MIGHT happen.
So what does it mean if these things are not happening, when Messiah says they WILL happen if we follow Him?
This is a serious matter. It is an emotional and hurtful matter for those who go through persecution by their family.
If it does not happen, is there something wrong with our walk?
I don’t wish this upon anyone…
My goal here is to evaluate some of the things Messiah said.
If we don’t see his statements coming true in our life, good or bad, then what are we missing?
We just had our first experience with this.
Some of our family told us that our religion makes them uncomfortable, and that we are no longer welcome in their lives.
They said we are no longer invited to any of their family activities.
I stated they are always welcome in our lives; they responded and said the feeling is not mutual, and asked that we not ever contact him or his wife.
This is a hard thing to hear.
It is heartbreaking.
But it happens.
I’ve heard other people in Torah speak of this.
But this is our first time to experience it.
It is very sad.
But…
Messiah said this would happen if we follow Him.
If this is not happening, then what is wrong with how we are following?
This situation is bittersweet.
Bitter to be rejected by family.
But sweet to have confirmation that we are following Messiah properly.
I hate it.
But I have trust and faith in Messiah and the things He said.
Will we please men [including our families] or will we please Yeshua Messiah?
Joshua 24:15
…but as for me and my household, we will worship Yehova!