If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.
John 15:18-27 NLT
Last weekend I enjoyed kayaking and hiking in Kentucky. The nip of fall was in the air and the first leaves of the season had begun to turn. I stayed in a quaint lodge, simple, clean, and comfortable. The view, a dense forest of green and bird song. Every morning the lodge offered a breakfast buffet with delicious biscuit and gravy. I don’t know about you, but I do love a buffet or a big salad bar. I can pick and choose what I want, the amount I want whether a lot or a little. I can also go back for what I want as many times as I like. Unfortunately, there are some people that think the Bible and the Christian walk is something they can treat like a buffet or salad bar. Taking what they like and rejecting what they don’t.
God’s Word must be accepted in its entirety from Genesis to Revelations. Every chapter and verse are truth. Jesus said in the gospel of John chapter 14 and verse 15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Jesus’ statement doesn’t say keep only the ones you agree with or like, he said all. The current trends in our society may find you conflicted. Torn between what you are being fed in the media, or the forced ideologies through your job, or your friends and what the Bible states. The schools, elementary through college are spreading ungodly ideology to our youth. Our government and judicial systems have embraced all sorts of ungodly laws and practices. I understand your fears, I really do. I grapple with it too. I want to be accepted and loved by everyone and in conflict with no one. However, as a Christian I have accepted Christ as my savior, asked him to dwell within my heart, to be my friend and to guide me. In making that choice I cannot take just the parts of being a Christian I feel comfortable with, or what is acceptable and tolerant, but I must firmly uphold Jesus’ teachings. And it is getting harder. There is opposition all around us. Jesus’ sacrifice of love is being construed as hate and the world is accepting that narrative.
To be a follower of Jesus is to be an enemy to this world. Some days I do feel as though the whole world is against me. Sometimes I feel hopeless as I speak of Jesus it is like a vacuum, my words whisked away. However, we cannot stop sharing the gospel and demonstrating strength before the enemy. The time is rapidly coming when you and I will have to make the decision to either back the world or Jesus. There will be sacrifice, loss and suffering. But for only a short time. We as Christians must be unwavering in the truth of the Bible no matter how unpopular it may be. For if we deny Christ before men, he will deny us before God. (Matthew 10:33)
Are you a friend of Jesus or of this world?
Typist for Jesus
Mustard Seeds, Modern Parables 