The world has hated me before it hated you

These past few weeks, I have seen and read the most awful comments hurled at Christians. There were many Christians who expressed shock and surprise at the vicious words levelled against those who strive to follow Christ. Even I got a little distressed by all the vitriol in the press and online.

But the Holy Spirit reminded me that as followers of Christ, we are not to be loved by the world. In fact, if the world were friends with me, it would mean I was not a friend of Christ. For in John 15:18-20, Christ himself said:

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you."

It's a humbling reminder not to slide into a state of somnolence and become one with the world in terms of values and aspirations. Christ rescued us from the world, which is under Satan's control. We are to live in the world but we are not to be part of it. These past few weeks have been a stark reminder of the battle we are in. We must not expect to be loved by the world and we must be ready to be persecuted.