If the world hates you, you know it hated Me before it hated you.  (John 15:18 NKJV)

   Everybody wants to be loved. Nobody wants to be hated. Fear of ridicule has a name, catagelophobia. While this word describes the most severe form or phobia of fear and ridicule, most of us have experienced and reacted to ordinary uncomfortable and unwarranted criticism. In the verse above, the Lord of the universe, Jesus, promises us hatred by the elements of the world which have rejected Him, or have not heard of Him, and He reassures us that the world hates Him too. 

    In my life, this Christian focused ridicule has usually been subtle. As I began to grow in Christ years ago, many non Christian friends just quietly withdrew their contact. This often happened with good reason, I was no loner interested in the things or behaviors that they preferred. The Apostle Paul said it best- The new has come, the old is gone.  

   I did have a few very vocal critics of my new life in Christ. I was confronted by some with being "too religious". Others seemed to think that constant reminder of past sins would draw me back to them. And a few goaded me me with the most vile expressions and condemnations of the Lord they could utter. 

    I in no way enjoyed these criticisms, and in a way, they had the opposite of the intended

effect -- they encouraged me. I remember thinking a few years after the Lord saved me, Have I really changed enough to irritate them? 

   Some of the most difficult criticism for me to sort out came from people in the church. One mean spirited church lady I knew justified it, calling it holy gossip. It took a while for me to realize that many of them attended church with religious fervor, sought to hold positions of authority, but did it all without spiritual rebirth. They had staked out positions, powers, and principalities, and found it abundantly annoying if the Lord promoted anyone past them. My testimony made them very uncomfortable, and when I actually read and loved the Word and was transformed by it, it was more than they could bear. Jesus said -- But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,[h] 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; (Matthew 5:44 NKJV)

   But while their voices were loud and harsh (and rarely constructive), over the years there have been many more who noticed the changes that the Lord brought in me and approached with open hearts, curious and willing to listen. The Lord has taken a harvest from among them and brought a harvest from their testimonies too. 

   So, take heart hated Christians, dreaded followers of Jesus. What the world hates, the Lord loves. Find joy in snide remarks and always be quick to share humbly the Gospel that snatched you from the fire. Don't fall in to deep catagelophobia. Instead, simply shake off the criticism they lob at you and remain of Jesus' narrow path. 

    Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 




Copyright 2014 Mission of the Master Ministries, Inc. may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission if a link is provided to http://wordworkswednesday.blogspot.com