Sitting on the fence
If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before you (John 15, 18)
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you do not belong to the world, because my choice withdrew you from the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the words I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too; if they kept my word, they will keep yours as well. But it will be on my account that they will do all this, because they do not know the one who sent me.’(John 15, 18-21)
It is not surprising that the Lord’s disciples are hated by the world: in fact they do not belong to this world, but to Jesus Christ. The world persecuted and rejected the Lord. But being persecuted is not sufficient in itself: the cause of persecutions must be for the love of the Gospel, that is, for love of the Lord. Are you willing to give something up for Him or are you deluding yourself that you can sit on the fence?
