1 John 3:13: Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.
I have never really appreciated it when anyone would say, “When you were a pastor in such–and–such a place, you were a popular minister.” I’m not sure that I care for that because there is a certain crowd I would deeply regret to be popular with. If I ever was popular with them, I should not have been, and I don’t want to be popular with them because the Lord Jesus is not popular with that crowd. I watched a minister on television the other night as he had a marvelous opportunity to witness for Christ. But instead he played up to that unbelieving crowd, and he said some nice, flowery, complimentary things, and he was applauded for it. I wondered if there was not sorrow in heaven because he was in a crowd where Jesus was not popular but he was popular with them. The child of God needs to recognize that the world will hate him. There is an offense of the Cross, but we should guard against magnifying the offense by making ourselves objectionable and obnoxious. Many Christians do that, and they are rejected, not because they are Christians, but because they are simply obnoxious—they would be obnoxious whether they were Christians or not. Let’s make sure that Christ’s rejection and our rejection are for the same reason. 1
Loving Him
How do you deal with rejection? Do you retaliate or do you draw near to God? Is popularity more important than purity? Is being accepted by your peers worth the price of compromise? Being secure in your relationship with Jesus is the only cure I know for the hatred from the world and the contention from carnal Christians.
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4
Loving Others
Jesus never sought popularity and neither should we. – TWEET IT
Changing Me
Lord, thank You for teaching us to pursue the love of God, and not the love of the world.
1. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (1 John) (electronic ed., Vol. 56). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
