Hebrews 12:3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
The struggle every human faces is against the forces of sin and evil in this world. We are both victims of the sins of others and perpetrators of sin by causing harm to others. We are in this struggle together. The only way to overcome it is through Jesus Christ. We must “consider” or think about him. Look to him. Look at him. Learn about him. Be moved out of our struggles and complacencies by thinking about him. He set the example of faithfulness to the Fathers promises. He took upon himself the sin of the world, and this led to his death. He experienced ridicule, beating, and eventually death, but he never faltered in his faith in his Heavenly Father. Jesus said, “Because I live, you too shall live” (John 14:19).
Jesus gives the example of unmovable faith. But we do not simply choose on our own power to overcome hostility, sins, and persecution. The looking to Jesus and considering him are responses of faith. This is how faith is show. It is not simply an intellectual decision. It is a response that demands we move towards God in obedience to God’s promises. By taking our eyes off of Jesus and looking to the world around us, or by stagnating in our faith and remaining baby Christians, we are opening ourselves to defeat. We will “grow weary and fainthearted” if we do not look to Jesus. We must keep our gaze on him, which means that our faith is active.
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