From Friend to Foe?

Most couples start out marriage as best of friends, for we tend to marry those who we not only love, but like. But then life happens. We sin and are sinned against, and unless we are able to forgive and move on, relationship come to an end. And those who start out as the best of friends end their relationship as sworn enemies with a messy divorce. How can that happen? The same is true among the family of God, for we are not only brothers and sisters in Christ, but we also become good friends as we love one another and minister one to another. But sometimes good friends can become enemies. A friend becomes a foe! The Galatians had rolled out the red carpet for Paul when he arrived in this region! In spite of physical illness which was a natural turnoff, the believers received Paul as a messenger from God, even as Christ Himself. And they loved him so much that they were willing to pluck out their eyes and give them to Paul. But then something happened that caused their relationship to sour. The believers at Galatia refused to listen to and heed the truth. Relationship are built on truth telling and sometimes the truth hurts. Because Paul told them the truth, he became their enemy. The switch of allegiance was aided by the presence of the "other" party-- the Judaizers who were seeking to build their following and to promote themselves, and not Christ! Paul's passion was to promote Christ, and like a mother who was willing to suffer labor pains all over again, Paul lovingly reached out to these who rejected Him to continue to minister to them until Christ is formed in them. They may have rejected Paul, but Paul would not turn his back on them.