“Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.” (1 John 3:13)
Anytime a person takes a stand there will be opposition. Since Christians seem to have targets on their backs (and fronts, for that matter), we don’t need to be surprised when we are ridiculed or disliked. People tend to embrace preconceived notions and judge others by what they hear rather than what they have experienced themselves. That shouldn’t be such a foreign concept … we do it too. Those who are Christians in name alone have nothing to fear. They don’t really know what they believe and you can’t put into practice what you do not know, so they are of little threat the enemy of our souls. They blend in nicely with the rest of the world, saying or doing nothing out of the ordinary that would make them stand out. Those who have had a life altering experience through conversion also have nothing to fear but for a different reason. They have nothing to fear because though they might stand out from the crowd by their words and deeds, they have an advocate in Jesus Christ who will see them through any and all trials and tribulations they will ever face in this life. Those are the believers the Apostle John is speaking to here.
People also tend to dislike or shy away from that which they don’t understand. They make fun of those things that do not seem normal to them, as if they had cornered the market on normalcy. If we as Christians take a strong stand for our beliefs we will hit a wall of opposition at times, but it can be used as a tool to bolster our faith instead of blocking our progress. If we are consistent in our approach and walk the way we talk, we will have a positive influence on those around us. God is at work in the hearts and lives of people we don’t even know. When we come across someone unknown to us during the day we have no idea how the Holy Spirit has been at work in their lives. So remaining silent shouldn’t be an option. Sharing what we believe or what Christ has done for us should be a natural extension of who we now are … a new creation with new behavior patterns.
Yes, in some circles we will be shunned and despised; however, this need not concern us for God is far greater than any opposition that shall form itself against us. So live your life for God with the confidence that nothing can keep you from making a difference for the kingdom but you. God knows you intimately and has you on a path to succeed in all you do. Realize it, accept it and go forward.
WALK WITH THE KING TODAY AND BE A BLESSING!
