Hated



John 15:18-16:4
18“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19If 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. 20Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ 26“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. 16:1“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

Tough words today. Really tough. Usually the Scriptures wash over me with insight, grace, comfort, and peace. This passage? Not so much. Jesus lays out the future for the Disciples and it’s ugly. They will not be welcomed and embraced. They will be hated. That “they” is us.

Most of us who embrace the Christian faith have faced this hatred at some level. It is always shocking and a little confusing. Why so much hatred? What have we done that is so offensive as to engender such a response? But the truth is, we probably haven’t done anything. It's the name of Christ that solicits this powerful response, not us. Jesus warns that sometimes that response is going to be open hatred. I don’t understand it but Jesus told us it would happen and He always speaks the truth. I guess we should not be shocked or confused.

The question then must be answered. What do we do about this open hatred? The answer is probably not going to be satisfying. First, we can’t take that hatred personally. It’s Jesus, not us that is the focus of that hatred. Second, and here’s the tough part – we move on. I’m not suggesting an end to the relationship but we might consider less badgering and fewer words. Maybe our actions need to be the louder voice in the situation. And of course we pray for our enemies. With these red words Jesus promises us that walking with Him will not always be easy or comfortable. We will still have the power and presence of the Holy Spirit to soothe those battered emotions. We will still have His power to enable those acts of love and grace. Jesus was hated to the point of terrible suffering and death. He knew it was coming. But He didn’t allow that hatred to stop His mission and ministry. He didn’t allow hatred to derail His work of attaining our salvation.

Dear Lord, I pray for the strength that Your Holy Spirit gives to sustain me when I am hated in this world. Teach me how to look past that hatred and still serve with Your love. I know that this is not ever going to be easy but You are the strength of my life and I know that You are always there to bring Your own grace into every situation. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

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