BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world. Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 28: 2 Understanding to grow in We should not be surprised when people respond to our message negatively. They "took offence" at Jesus (6v3), and lacked faith because he was someone they had known. Strikingly, finding someone's words offensive in our own day, means they can be classed as hate speech. How likely then, that we will find people respond to us as they did Jesus. For, although we are not apostles, we too are called to share the message of repentance. And it was a message that led to John the Baptist's death, when the sympathetic but weak ruler was petitioned by someone he wanted to please. Again, it sounds so contemporary, as employers and even own police force act against