When the World Hates You

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15:18-19)

You know there are days and times where it is so easy to take that passage lightly, or even question it. It is easy to “preach it”, but to endure it and take it on is another situation. One should not simply have to experience what the word says to validate its authenticity, but I will say as a Christian who lives in the day, daily submitting to the Lord, not in perfection by any means, but simply by recognition and desire of living in His presence - this passage is so true.

The more you live for God, the more you should expect conflict from those who do not, period.

The “world” being spoken about in this passage is speaking about those who are not living for God, or even the ones who think they are in their own way. You know, the ones who are still living worldly lives but say they are believers? And it is these people who may be the most difficult when it comes to “hating you”, having one toe in the water of the world and one in the "grace" of God.

Many take the sacrifice of Christ as a freedom to sin.

This is where people may see me as overbearing. But I read God’s word and go to the Lord in prayer in not wanting to read anything that He has breathed or inspired through my own selfish lenses. I do not want to read it in a way that makes it luke warm and justifying to my flesh, but I want to read it in a way that leads me to a place of conviction and brokenness - desiring to be more like Him every day.

I have learned that in doing so, people will just not like you for it, but I have to know and grasp this truth – that they hated Him first. And the reason they do not like me is because they do not like or know God.

I am not talking about a “higher power” or “self-made” God that aligns with my desires and beliefs, but a Holy, good God that is the opposite of me.

Folks who are "God-ignorant" can be nasty.

Titus 1:16 says, “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for anything good.”

You will know them by their fruit, always.

People can only fake it or hide it so long. Living a life not for God and for yourself in one way or the other eventually begins to show.

By living a life contrary to the world, it just makes complete sense that there will be conflict. So, take your wounds and stripes for the Lord. Use every moment to glorify Him in everything you do. We are storing up a harvest of righteousness and peace because of it.

All glory be to God.