Jump Start # 191

1 John 3:13 “Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.”

  There is no missing the thought found in this passage! John doesn’t try to soften the reality that Christians are going upstream in a downstream world and that we are dwelling in enemy territory. John said at the start of this chapter, “the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” Jesus had said the same thing. In that famous section of John 3:16 that begins, “For God so loved the world…”, just a few verses later, Jesus says, “…men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light…”

  Jesus said very plainly:

• “You will be hated by all because of My name…” (Mt 10:22)
• “Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man (Lk 6:22)
• If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you” (Jn 15:18)

  It shouldn’t surprise us, but it does. We have a hard time understanding why some want nothing to do with us.

First, we have done nothing to the world. We have not demanded nor forced our ways upon the world. We have not insulted them, yet the world hates us.

Second, we are being hated for what is good and right. Hatred isn’t right. It’s more tolerable toward someone who injures and puts fear in others. But hating people who want to help better the world, who in kindness seek to help their fellow man is hard to grasp. The world is better because of Christians. There is no reason to be hated, yet the world does.

Thirdly, most who are in the hating business have not honestly looked at Christianity. They simply want nothing to do with it. Even from a distance, they don’t like it. They want no one, including God, telling them what to do. Their hatred is based upon selfishness and ignorance. It doesn’t come from a serious study of the teachings. It doesn’t come after they have gone through the Bible. In most cases, something bad has happened to them, they don’t understand why, so they blame God. In their thinking, they ought to have a wonderful, fun filled life without God. The moment their fun ends, then they blame God, whom they have had nothing to do with all along. It’s like a child who says he doesn’t like green beans even before he has tried them. And like that child, some so convince themselves that the experience will be so horrifying that if they do try it, it’s just a little bit and they immediately run in the opposite direction.

  So the world hates us! That’s not life, that’s Bible! Those of us on the receiving end of this hatred must stay true to the message of Jesus. That is not a call to be rude and obnoxious, but neither is it a reason to soften what we believe in and find a middle ground. There’s not much middle ground when the other side is in the hating business. It’s an all or none proposition. Being on the receiving end of hatred is hard. Everyone likes to be liked. Everyone wants to be popular. Remember high school? That’s just the way it was. Those who weren’t liked, ate their lunch by themselves. They were always picked last when choosing up teams. Kids whispered and stared when the unpopular kids walked down the hallway. The unpopular kids always dreamed of being varsity quarterback and dating the cheerleader, but it never happened. Some were called “weird” or “nerd.” Remember hearing those labels?

  Parents of the unpopular kids encouraged them to find good friends who would like them the way they are. They told them to get good grades and make a difference. Many unpopular kids silently cried at night. It wasn’t right and it certainly wasn’t fair. I believe some who are reading this today, understand.

  This is the road that the Christian walks. It won’t be forever. Heaven is a day closer to us. John’s words were a reminder. They knew. They felt it. But still we need to be told from time to time. We are not of the world. We are going a different direction than the world. Our hope, our love, our joy is based upon things “out of this world.”

  Talk to God when the world seems to be closing in on you. Find comfort in your church family. Remind yourself that this was the road that our Lord traveled. Be strong. Keep going.

Roger