It’s Not All Roses

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"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.”  - John 15:18

   The three words that eat away at each of us. If you have children that is, for those of you without children perhaps it's not as daunting. When a child utters the phrase, "I hate you." something is stirred inside. We try so hard as parents to love our children, to keep them safe and advise them on how to avoid the pitfalls that we may have tripped over. Unfortunately our advice often comes across as control and the older our children become the less they want to be controlled. But, it's not just our children who hate us, is it?

Has it happened to you? Has someone verbally stated their anger in a way of hatred? I am constantly reminded through a variety of mediums of those that despise Christianity, even to the point of hatred. I ask myself why. Why do people feel so strongly against Christianity, yet less so against other religions of the world? What makes it so different that it causes such an emotional reaction from some to the point where Christians are being killed for their beliefs even in the 21st century.

I realize it is a very complex situation, but I have a hypothesis. Christ tells us this will happen in John 15. In His infinite wisdom and comprehensive understanding of humanity, He could easily see that the core fundamentals of being a Christian would contradict the human emotion, logic and our desire for control. What are these core fundamentals: servitude, humility, love, justice, faith, accept Christ as Savior and Lord and most importantly that He is the one and only way to the Father. But, to accept that means we must give up control of life and trust in something we cannot see or touch. Taking the gospel as God's truth, based strictly on face value without scientific proof is counter to man's desire for research and hard facts.

To accept Christianity as truth means accepting these things, and thereby accepting that Revelations is equally true. The rigidness and narrowness of following Christ sets it apart from nearly every other religious philosophy where good works, karma, and man's love of self (to name a few) establish eternal status. In the end I believe much of the hatred for Christians (then and now) stems from a fear that it just might be true. This fear leads to actions of abolishing those that believe; by doing so then God's eternal plan can be controlled by man. This sounds an awful lot like it is with our children when we try to control them. We give them advice that will cause the least amount of harm and they rebel. Similarly, our Father in heaven attempts to lead us down a path that is filled with His love and grace, and mankind rebels.

What we learn from Jesus though is to somehow love them, even when they despise and hate us for our beliefs. Jesus was hated by the masses, and took it all to the cross, where he was able to forgive them all.

 

             

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