Today Jesus asks the guard an important question in the One Year Bible, where we read from John 18:1-24. The guard slaps Jesus for speaking to the high priest in what the guard considers to be a disrespectful tone. The guard doesn't realize he's speaking to God Himself. But Jesus again uses the moment to teach all of us readers something important when He asks, "If I speak the truth, why do you strike me?"
And the answer to His question is found in 1 John 3:13. "Don't be surprised when the world hates you. It hated me first."
When we speak the truth, or live the truth, in the world, it is GOING to hate us. It's not a matter of "IF the world hates you", it's "WHEN the world hates you." It hates what it can't control, and the truth is not something anyone can control. They try. They spin. They fabricate and they prevaricate. But they can't change what's true. When you violate what's true, there are consequences, even if you don't believe in them.
The world will hate us when we speak and live the truth. But take heart. He has overcome the world.
God, please help us remember that the world WILL hate us. Help us to love it anyway.
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