Jesus vs Parents
I used to have a lot to talk about with my mum (who has yet to submit her life to Christ) and we would be able to talk about all sorts of things before I became a Christian. But ever since I have become a Christian, conversations turn sour when it comes to a conversation about religion generally. She does not hate religion generally, but because I have made my position clear, as a Christian, in rejecting other religions that purport to preach the Truth, she really dislikes me having any kind of in-depth involvement in any activities that has any associations with Christianity.
I believe her negative attitude towards my faith is because prior to myself becoming a Christian, I would not have such strong opposing and critical views on anything, let alone the sensitive topic of religion! I would just silently disagree, if that is what it takes to make everyone happy. But no, nowadays, I would make my position quite clear in what I believe in (hopefully in most circumstances, in a passive but succinct way).
As I grew spiritually, I can view that the Holy Spirit has begun working within me and I feel my values have begun to change too. Although this does not mean I am in any way more perfect or more superior than anybody else, I begin to see that what I believed to be good before is not enough in God's eyes.
There are moments where I would make a decision based on the teachings of the bible and mum and dad would subsequently ask why couldn't I have been less honest so I could protect myself a bit more in such a cold-blooded commercial world? In those circumstances where I would just love to answer 'because the bible teaches us not to cheat and God assures that He has plans for the righteous', I would refrain from introducing God into our conversation so that we would not strain our relationships, because they would simply dismiss my justifications and say I am inexperienced and naive, and most importantly, they would be infuriated if I said my God could somehow pull "magical tricks" to fix up my naivety.
I soon faced a struggle. Although I wanted to tell my parents everything I felt deep within me, but yet I knew that if I would do so, it would be just sour the relationship. Soon I began to only tell them what I believed they would be pleased to hear. However, my retraction in saying what I feel from the heart has slowly made them feel that I am not sharing everything that I think and believe with them. I believe that they sense this distancing without really wanting to find a resolution to this problem.
My friend is plagued with similar problems (if not, a worser scenario). Like myself, her mother is a Buddhist. Her retraction in refraining from sharing certain views with her mum has left her mum asking one night whether this 'deterioration' is because she felt her parents does not love her anymore. Starkingly, this has been a question asked by my parents as well. They somehow feel that we do not feel their love anymore if we no longer share what we think and feel deep within ourselves.
Good and responsible parents spend all their time and effort to love and nurture their children. They try to teach their children to the best of their knowledge so that they will not get hurt in such a dangerous world. Perhaps they get anxious and helpless if they see their children slowly unlearn what they have taught, and perhaps even get angry if they see religion tearing the foundations of the parents' teachings apart.
But if a person is serious about believing in Jesus so he may submitting himself to Christ, there is no two ways about it when it comes to living in the Truth by being a follower of Christ. We just have to accept the fact that we cannot have the good of both worlds and find some position of compromise. In Matthew 10:34-39 (ESV), Jesus teaches us:
I believe her negative attitude towards my faith is because prior to myself becoming a Christian, I would not have such strong opposing and critical views on anything, let alone the sensitive topic of religion! I would just silently disagree, if that is what it takes to make everyone happy. But no, nowadays, I would make my position quite clear in what I believe in (hopefully in most circumstances, in a passive but succinct way).
As I grew spiritually, I can view that the Holy Spirit has begun working within me and I feel my values have begun to change too. Although this does not mean I am in any way more perfect or more superior than anybody else, I begin to see that what I believed to be good before is not enough in God's eyes.
There are moments where I would make a decision based on the teachings of the bible and mum and dad would subsequently ask why couldn't I have been less honest so I could protect myself a bit more in such a cold-blooded commercial world? In those circumstances where I would just love to answer 'because the bible teaches us not to cheat and God assures that He has plans for the righteous', I would refrain from introducing God into our conversation so that we would not strain our relationships, because they would simply dismiss my justifications and say I am inexperienced and naive, and most importantly, they would be infuriated if I said my God could somehow pull "magical tricks" to fix up my naivety.
I soon faced a struggle. Although I wanted to tell my parents everything I felt deep within me, but yet I knew that if I would do so, it would be just sour the relationship. Soon I began to only tell them what I believed they would be pleased to hear. However, my retraction in saying what I feel from the heart has slowly made them feel that I am not sharing everything that I think and believe with them. I believe that they sense this distancing without really wanting to find a resolution to this problem.
My friend is plagued with similar problems (if not, a worser scenario). Like myself, her mother is a Buddhist. Her retraction in refraining from sharing certain views with her mum has left her mum asking one night whether this 'deterioration' is because she felt her parents does not love her anymore. Starkingly, this has been a question asked by my parents as well. They somehow feel that we do not feel their love anymore if we no longer share what we think and feel deep within ourselves.
Good and responsible parents spend all their time and effort to love and nurture their children. They try to teach their children to the best of their knowledge so that they will not get hurt in such a dangerous world. Perhaps they get anxious and helpless if they see their children slowly unlearn what they have taught, and perhaps even get angry if they see religion tearing the foundations of the parents' teachings apart.
But if a person is serious about believing in Jesus so he may submitting himself to Christ, there is no two ways about it when it comes to living in the Truth by being a follower of Christ. We just have to accept the fact that we cannot have the good of both worlds and find some position of compromise. In Matthew 10:34-39 (ESV), Jesus teaches us:
Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 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. 36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. 37 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. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 ch. 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17:33; John 12:25 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.Obviously though, this does not warrant us to dishonour, abandon or neglect our parents (Colossians 3:20)
