Photo, courtesy of UC Staff
By Kamryn Keith
John 15:18-19 ESV “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.”
Today’s world might seem complicated to fit in. Society is different from what it used to be. Believing or having faith is not as common as it used to be. Therefore, being a Christian in today’s society is often a struggle.
It can be hard to fit into groups as is, and then bringing faith in can make or break how someone feels about you. Sometimes, it is hard to be open about your faith in the fear of being judged. If you have ever felt this way, this is for you.
The devil is living in this world, just like the Holy Spirit. Being a Christian does not protect you from the bad things of the world. Feelings of resentment will always be around, but it comes down to how one should handle those. You could act the same way in return, or you could accept it. Accepting that there will always be rude and cruel people can help more than you might feel. Expressing your feelings in this world is alright. Spreading your belief is also okay. Just because someone does not feel the same way does not mean you must give up your opinion.
Feeling the pressure of the world can be discouraging, but God gives us His word to help us. When Jesus was on earth, many people did not like Him. They talked faulty about Him and gossiped. They would tell people He was lying about being the Messiah and that His teachings were wrong. This situation got to the point where they turned people against Jesus and ended up getting them to agree to kill Him. These harmful gossipers went to the extent of crucifying the Lord due to their jealousy and lack of empathy. This alone tells you just how much the world did not agree with Him.
The world did not agree with Jesus; therefore, you can see that you are not alone in this world. In John 15:18-19, God expressed how the world did not like Him. If you believe in God, then there is a chance that people will be against you for being authentic. Although it is clear that the devil and sin are a big part of the world today, do not let Him have a hold on you. He only tries to spread hate so that you will stop spreading love. Sometimes it can be hard to stand for your beliefs but Jesus was able to die for us so in return we should stand for Him whenever our ideologies are called into question. The world is not completely full of hate though. There is great people that are kind and gracious. Even if you view things differently than someone else or how society may want you to does not mean that the world is completely terrible. In this world, you are not alone in hate. Jesus will stand with you and not forsake you if you are for Him. It is challenging to defy worldly wants, but knowing Jesus went through the same thing can be comforting.
So, if people argue with you or talk bad about you, let them talk. You cannot control how they feel towards you. If you let it go, then you will have peace. You would not have to worry about what the world thinks of you in that case. God will help you through anything. He will show you who you are, so depend on Him. Knowing God and His peace will help block out the worries and hate of this world.
