Starting Fires with Jesus

"I came to set the world on fire, and would that it were already burning!" -Jesus, Luke 12:49

Those of you who know me know that I can sometimes put my foot really far into my mouth. I love to speak first, and ask questions later. In a lot of ways, this is a bad thing; a character flaw that I need to work on by God's grace. In other ways, this is a great thing, because I am rarely scared to say something unpopular. If this is just a cover for my hatred of another, then I am in sin. But sin is defined by God and the Bible, not the local LGBT movement or the ACLU.

Remember, Jesus said that He came to set fire to the world. Have you ever noticed how there isn't a single place in the NT where Jesus reacts? He is always the principal actor, especially when it comes to starting trouble, starting fires. Jesus didn't get crucified for being such a swell fella. He got Himself crucified for telling the truth, without caring about the reaction of the prestigious and honorable. He went to the cross for starting too many fires.

One time (Luke 11:37-54), Jesus was pronouncing woe upon the Pharisees (a group of Jews who thought they could ease up on God's Law to make themselves look better). He's in the middle of essentially telling these Pharisees to go to Hell and a scribal lawyer (of a different party than the Pharisees) complained to Him, "Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also." What does Jesus say? Does he backtrack and apologize and clarify that He would never insult anybody because that's not the Jesus He likes or wants to be? Nope. "Woe to you lawyers also!" You can shove it, too, lawyers! To Hell with the lot of ya!

Jesus wasn't afraid to start fires, even when people got mad. He never started a fire sinfully. Remember that the Jesus who insulted Pharisees and lawyers is the same Jesus who said "Love your enemies". But loving His enemies clearly didn't look as meek and mild-mannered as we might like. Everywhere He went, there seemed to be people wanting to kill Him. Ultimately, they did kill Him, but He rose from the dead and sent His Holy Spirit in the form of fire at Pentecost and it was the same story for His apostles. There were few places the apostles went without instigating a riot or being thrown in prison. They all burn up every place they go and they care little for putting out fires. Let God handle putting the fires out, your job is to start them. He's already promised to guard your life, so why fear the fires that Satan starts? "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." (Isaiah 43:2)

Starting fires with Jesus gives a whole new perspective on that old spiritual "This Little Light of Mine". What can you do with that little light of yours to set your world on fire this week?