This scripture is particularly relevant to me, seeing as I am a teenager in high school constantly dealing with friendships, cliques and loyalty. But what strikes me most about this scripture is Jesus himself, knowing from the start that there were people who didn’t truly believe in him. And he responds by telling the group, “no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.” Jesus was searching for loyal followers – the ones who would stand by his side through anything. Unfortunately, many people were daunted by this and decided to turn back.
This story strongly relates to my life. I like to think of myself as a strong person who doesn’t want to have to compromise my personality in order to fit in. This pushes some people away. I don’t outwardly tell people, “this is who I am, take me or leave me,” but I tend to give off that vibe. As a result, I have become what I like to call a “drifter”— not part of one specific clique, friends with everyone, and hard to categorize — hard to fit in a box. Some people decide not to take the time to befriend me. Instead, they turn away and stick to the friends they know. These people are like Jesus’ followers who decide to turn back. They are not willing to put in the time to get to know someone new.
Through this drifting of mine, I have learned (a lot of times, the hard way) that not everyone is loyal. Most people, especially in high school, are looking out for themselves. All they think is, “what will make me most popular?” or, “what is the coolest party to go to?” A lot of the time, not knowing, they are hurting people and letting their friends down along the way.
Not everyone will be our friend. Not everyone will follow us. Not everyone will be loyal. And when times get tough, it is with Jesus’ help and example that we find the courage within ourselves to make our own path.
—Natalie Blundell
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