Persecuted for the right reasons?

Reflecting on John 15:18-21

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” (John 15:18)

Not every person in the world hated or persecuted Jesus.
It was primarily those in leadership that did this.
The word ‘world’ can be literal or figurative, depending on its context.
Jesus is referring to the system of government, those in positions of power.
Those with power will see Jesus followers as weak and inferior.

Jesus chose to be a servant, and was stepped on by those in power.
If we follow Jesus in this, we will experience the same response.
Choosing to love like Jesus is seen as weak, as ineffective.
Hate does what love does not do; it causes harm and misery.
As Jesus followers, we should never align ourselves with this behaviour.

Some christians claim to be persecuted for their faith.
Too often it is not for their faith, but for their lack of love.
They can be loud, obnoxious, demanding, supposedly in Jesus’s Name.
Being hated for being a jerk is not persecution, it is reaping what we sow.
May the only reason we are hated be that we love and serve too much!

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I do not want to be hated or persecuted. But if I am, may it not be because I am cruel, uncaring or a jerk. May the only reason I am hated or persecuted be because I love and serve too much!