don't stop when the world hates you

In today's reading from Luke 5:29-6:11 in the One Year Bible, we read about the Pharisees getting "wild with rage" at Jesus. And what did He do to provoke this rage? He healed a man.

How often we followers of Jesus forget the important advice in the verse above: Don't be surprised when the world hates you. The world will hate you. And the more good you do, the more it will hate you. The darkness doesn't like the light. When you shine the light into your world, the darkness is going to fight back - and it will hate you for shining your light.

Now, at this point, it would be easy to blame "persecution" for anything that others do that we don't like. But we need to be careful. People don't always pick on us just because we're Christians - sometimes they pick on us because we're being obnoxious. We need to remember to be full of kindness, gentleness, and love - these are fruits of the Holy Spirit. Let's not give the world additional reasons to hate us - following Jesus is reason enough.

But keep doing good when the world attacks you. Keep shining your light when the world calls you names. Keep loving your neighbor, and bringing healing into the lives of those you know, even when the world tries to distract you with their cruelty.

Don't stop. The world needs your love. The darkness that fights you is starving for the light you bring. Keep shining.

God, please help us to keep loving when the world hates us.