I’M glad Jesus told us not to “marvel” (be surprised or wonder in the Greek) when we find that the world hates us. Truth be told, I’ve always been surprised when I have encountered hate, especially when it’s towards myself! Our Father’s desire is to grow us up in Him, training us to be like His Son in realizing that we will be hated as Christ was hated by those that opposed Him.  

HATE can come from many sources. John states it comes from the “world”. Through the internet and media, we see political division, racial strife, and religious tensions, to name only a few. There are times when we even experience hate from our own Christian brothers and sisters. In Greek word study, this meaning of the world “includes the unsaved multitude, the whole mass of men alienated from God and hostile to Him and His Son Jesus Christ.” This hate actually goes back to Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed.” Satan, who opposes God and His Son, also opposes those who have serve God and His Son. It is this hate that we find in the world and is the reality for every Christian.

WHEN hate comes through other people to us, we can feel it very personally. Though some have been killed from such hate, it generally comes to us through words. It would seem as if the words were holding spears and arrows directly aimed towards our heart. The Lord’s goal is for us to not take this hate personally or defensively. He desires that we assume that hate will be part of our normal reality for those that have put on Christ. When hate comes, we remember that our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers – Satan Himself. 

WE fight hate first by submitting ourselves to the Lord, then by forgiving the person through whom the arrow or wound came. We also fight by thanking God for the persons who are against us. In prayer, we pull down anything between them and us that opposes God. And finally, we lift them to God, praying for their lives to be blessed, that they might know the fulness of the Lord Jesus Christ in their lives and have an open heart to receive Him. In this way, we overcome evil with good and hate is swallowed up in His love.

Father, we ask for your love to fill our hearts and minds so that we might be your instruments to bring your light and love to a world that doesn’t know You. Amen.

– Jill Thompson

Human Services Professional, Christian City

ChristianCity.org

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