As the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was close to hand, His brothers said to Him, ‘You should go…show yourself to the world’, for even His brothers did not believe in Him. Jesus said to them….’the right time has not come for me’. With this answer, He stayed behind in Galilee. Later, when His brothers had gone to the Festival, He went up Himself, almost in secret….John 7:2-11.

Conviction Costs

'Awkward.'
'Being different.'
'Why can’t we all go together ?'
Was that the group decision on Jesus ?
Or maybe He explained the why
of His last-minute trip to Zion ?
Either way, He begged to differ.
hearing a different drum-beat
And why not ?

Times, I’ve been the odd-man-out;
felt it right to take the flak
out of conviction;
trying to be, to do what You expect.

I’m all too fallible, unlike You, Lord !
So Jesus, Shepherd, grace me, please
that with love-motive pure, and then alone,
I’ll take my stand, zealous of common good
And thankful, Master, that in the end,
I’m only answerable
to You.