Thought of the Day

'18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.'

These verses always inspired me. I, for one, never like to be hated. I try to be the person everyone likes. But after reading these verses, I realized sometimes its good to be hated. Because if the world hates you, then apparently its because you are not of it. They hated Me without a cause.... isn't that ridiculous? Usually there is a reason you hate someone. But Jesus, who did nothing worth hating, was hated without cause. He healed people, He preached, and He boggled peoples minds. He challenged everything they were taught to believe. It's hard for me to hate an all-powerful, loving, merciful God. He loves me despite all my flaws! And trust me, there are many. To know that He took every one of my horrible sins and faults and bore them on that horrible chuck of wood, it breaks my heart. How could you sin and not be sorry? Because of that little sin, you cost one man His life.