When Jesus came into the world, he left no thing untouched.  To those who embraced Him, He was life.  To those who rejected Him, He became at the very least a threat and at the very worst, death.

These posts are the result of my personal time in the Word.  I began writing my thoughts down as a way to digest what I was reading.  Every time I run across this next passage of scripture, it hits me just as hard.

Acts 19 talks about a man named Demetrius who was a silversmith and made his living selling shrines of Artemis.  It says he “brought no little business to the craftsmen”.  That’s another way of saying he made a lot of money for himself and others.  Paul had made quite an impact on the surrounding area and Demetrius perceived a potential threat to his business.  If Paul’s message was true, it would make Artemis irrelevant and Demetrius’ business would go in the tank.  So, he rounded up the troops and caused a giant stink.

The passage doesn’t mention anything about Demetrius being a follower of Artemis.  It just says he made his living off her image.  This is where it hits home for me.  How many of us have built our lives around idols  (money, fame, power, etc.)?  This is even harder.  If Jesus were to threaten that kingdom, how easy would it be for us to abandon Him for the life we’ve made?

Jesus has the ability to change everything about us.  But only if we let Him.

I’ve heard it said that Jesus is a gentleman.  I have no doubt.  But I also just think He’s very, very smart.  He knows any change won’t really take hold unless we fully embrace it.  If it’s forced on us, we’ll either reject it or it won’t stick.  Ultimately, the items we deem most precious will win out.  I’m hoping His value to me is at the top of that list.