13 APR Thursday: A Closer Walk Devotional
“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 15:18-19
When I first read this passage many years ago, I was frankly surprised that if you live for Jesus people would hate you. Then, I started sharing my faith with my friends in Middle School. I got a lot of kickbacks and rude responses. In my mind, I thought I was sharing the greatest news ever, which it is, but my audience didn’t think so and wasn’t afraid to tell me.
The reality is people will reject you if you are sharing your faith and living for Jesus. Jesus tells us in the Beatitudes so we are not surprised. He tells his disciples again in John 15 that people in their nature hate Jesus and we are hated by association. Today, Christians are persecuted and killed more than at any other time in history.
We don’t have to fear suffering for Jesus. He actually gives us the grace to receive it as joy and knows we have been counted worthy to suffer for his name. Paul, the chief sinner and sufferer, commands us to rejoice! If you are spoken against, dismissed, treated with indifference, verbally or physically harmed, know that it happened to Jesus first. These are the marks we carry as faithful follower of Jesus. Never think we are victims. We are victorious…more than conquerors even!
Are you hated for living out your faith in Jesus?
Reading Plan: Psalm 146, 147; Ezek. 37:1-14; Acts 3:11-26; John 15:12-27
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