When first posed with this question a person may come up with any number of answers. The choices they may offer might include one’s spouse, their children, a fiancé, or even themselves. Such responses would seem rather normal if we are looking at things from an earthly perspective.
Yet, if we are considering our answer from a Christian mindset there can only be one correct answer, Jesus Christ. Jesus entered this world for the specific purpose of giving His life as a ransom for our lives. He gave His all so that you and I might have the blessing of eternal life spent with Him in heavenly glory. With that being the case is there anyone else who deserves to have first place in our hearts and minds?
Jesus himself tells us in Matthew 10: 34-39, 42, where He should stand in our lives. “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
If Jesus is number one in your life it will cause conflict with the world. And a part of that world may very well be your own spouse, children, other family members, and friends. Sad to say that in this earthly life we will be challenged in our Christian faith by a variety of individuals, individuals who may not believe as we do. But, dear saints, we cannot succumb to the pressure of other people that would cause us to turn away from our Lord and Savior, no matter what connection we have with them.
As disciples of Christ, it is our calling by Jesus to take up our cross and follow Him wherever it may take us. “And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” v. 38
Jesus has brought peace that the world cannot understand or provide. It is a peace which rests in knowing Him as your Lord. In Him alone is life and the light of men, not in anything else.
But the peace of Jesus’ is in direct resistance to what the ways of the world try to pedal as being at peace. Thus, the Christ shares these profound words, “Do no think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” v. 34 May being in a right and saving relationship with God be the driving passion in our heart and the ultimate peace we are desiring. Pastor McCarty