The Son of God enjoyed the favor of man for a season, but as His nature and the requirements of His Kingdom came to light, fewer and fewer men were able to stand by Him, until even His closest companions fled.

 

While a Christian is young he frequently will grow in favor with man. He works hard, he keeps his word, considers others and for all practical purposes makes a very good citizen.

 

But at some point in His walk, the Christian crosses a line. As he is disciplined by the Word of God and begins to fear God more that he fears man, the Christian’s presence begins to be troublesome for the unbeliever. The unbeliever (and sometimes even another believer) begins to smell death to his natural desires and his first suspicion is that there must be something wrong with the Christian.

 

Leaving the place of favor with men (and yet still loving them) is perhaps THE most difficult obstacle to believing God’s Word, because it is so costly.

 

Am I willing to cross over into that realm in God where none of His favor is manifested in any tangible way except by what He has already done on the cross? If those closest to me are not yet ready to walk in this way, will I be content to have Jesus as my only companion?

 

If I do find that willingness in myself, it came from God, not from me. It is that same Spirit that raised the Messiah Jesus from the dead working in me who was once dead in my own trespasses and sins.