Some Wisdom
This is a departure from the usual flow of Grace Everyday, but I hope you will find it useful.
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If 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.” John 15:18-19 (ESV)
Sometimes I can be pretty naïve. I do not understand why some people react to Christianity the way they do. How could someone hate the one person who loves them the most? They must simply not understand, and I guess maybe they are confused. We live in a warped world where even the good offered is seen as evil.
What are we to do? Jesus reminded us we will be hated, and I do not like that reality. Jesus had just been teaching on bearing good fruit and abiding in the Father. He then makes an ironic conclusion to the idea bearing good fruit…he says we do this so that we will love one another (John 5:17). What is the link between abiding in the Father and loving each other? Then, he transitions to the reality of life. The world is going to hate you.
Wow, that is a lot to take in. Many Christians in the West are feeling like they are being mocked and relegated in their societies. It is hard to not feel discouraged or even threatened by these actions, but we must remember the words of Jesus. His followers will be hated because Jesus was also hated. The real question is: how do we respond? Jesus answered this question in Matt 5:44-45a (love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be children of the Father). Loving your enemy is what defines your life as a child of God.
Love and hate have a lot to do with each other. We must abide in the Father and produce good fruit because we become free to love each other. What if we were to say the opposite? In order to hate we must be spiritually unproductive in life and be unanchored from the Father. Now that I look at the opposite, the wisdom and truth of Jesus stands out to me.
How do you see your life? How do ensure you are abiding (remaining) in the Father? How does a follower of Christ produce good fruit?
Grace Discipleship: Prayer of Thanksgiving & Praise
Dear Father, thank you for being willing to send us your son, Jesus. Even though the world did not recognize or understand him, you sent him anyway. Father, thank you for loving us that much. Thank you for your precious presence in our lives. Open our eyes to see you every day. Thank you for the community of faith that you have gifted us through Grace Church. Forgive us for taking your gifts for granted. We thank you for them and name them now (name gifts aloud or in silence) in Jesus name, Amen. - Anna Caulley
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If 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.” John 15:18-19 (ESV)
Sometimes I can be pretty naïve. I do not understand why some people react to Christianity the way they do. How could someone hate the one person who loves them the most? They must simply not understand, and I guess maybe they are confused. We live in a warped world where even the good offered is seen as evil.
What are we to do? Jesus reminded us we will be hated, and I do not like that reality. Jesus had just been teaching on bearing good fruit and abiding in the Father. He then makes an ironic conclusion to the idea bearing good fruit…he says we do this so that we will love one another (John 5:17). What is the link between abiding in the Father and loving each other? Then, he transitions to the reality of life. The world is going to hate you.
Wow, that is a lot to take in. Many Christians in the West are feeling like they are being mocked and relegated in their societies. It is hard to not feel discouraged or even threatened by these actions, but we must remember the words of Jesus. His followers will be hated because Jesus was also hated. The real question is: how do we respond? Jesus answered this question in Matt 5:44-45a (love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be children of the Father). Loving your enemy is what defines your life as a child of God.
Love and hate have a lot to do with each other. We must abide in the Father and produce good fruit because we become free to love each other. What if we were to say the opposite? In order to hate we must be spiritually unproductive in life and be unanchored from the Father. Now that I look at the opposite, the wisdom and truth of Jesus stands out to me.
How do you see your life? How do ensure you are abiding (remaining) in the Father? How does a follower of Christ produce good fruit?
Grace Discipleship: Prayer of Thanksgiving & Praise
Dear Father, thank you for being willing to send us your son, Jesus. Even though the world did not recognize or understand him, you sent him anyway. Father, thank you for loving us that much. Thank you for your precious presence in our lives. Open our eyes to see you every day. Thank you for the community of faith that you have gifted us through Grace Church. Forgive us for taking your gifts for granted. We thank you for them and name them now (name gifts aloud or in silence) in Jesus name, Amen. - Anna Caulley
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