In Touch

Dear Young Disciples,

It was strange how the two of us became rivals, but that’s what jealousy will do. “Nick” topped our first-grade class in athletics; I held the highest grades. Nick had the esteem of our classmates; I tended to be the teacher’s favorite. Nick was far more popular than I, but he must have thought I stood in his way, somehow.

When I was honored as “student of the month,” the teachers gave me a helium balloon. They tied it up in a plastic bag to keep it safe on my school bus ride; but near the end of the route, Nick persuaded . . .
one of his friends to sneak up and pop it. I went home feeling as deflated as my prize. The next day at school, Nick got in trouble and I got sympathy, and that confirmed the contention for the next five years. I wish now that I had returned good for evil, and sought some kind of truce. Instead, I avoided Nick and focused on my academics.

Jealousy led Satan to hate Christ, and the same jealousy makes him hate those who follow Jesus—because we stand in his way of ruling the whole world. But there’s no truce to be made with Satan: He has set himself up as the enemy of God. If you resist him, he may block you from worldly success or even persecute you. But you can ignore him and live for God anyway—because only 100% commitment to the Lord will give you eternal success.

That’s the mark of God’s remnant. Are you in?

Your friend,

From Young Disciple magazine, Volume 23, Number 21.