Inspired by John
15:18-20, 26-27
“If the world hates
you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you.” John 15:18
Hate. Such strong language, especially when
compared to how much Jesus has to say about love in John’s gospel. But here he is, suggesting to his disciples
that the world would indeed hate them, just as the world hated him before them,
just as the world hated God before Christ came.
The world is God’s
good creation, but it is fallen and groaning for redemption. That fallen state causes humanity’s judgment
to be clouded, and we cannot always recognize what is helpful and what is
harmful. God is good, and desires our
salvation, but just as a drowning man might fight off his would-be rescuer, we
fight off God’s good efforts to save us from our peril. We have a strong aversion to God’s salvation
because, like the drowning man, accepting his help means we have to stop
flailing about and just let go, trusting that we won’t perish even though every
part of our being is convinced that we will.
Jesus came to save
the world, and he commands his followers to love one another in the face of the
world’s hate. We ourselves understand
the world’s hatred, because we also were drowning along with it. But when Christ called us we stopped
flailing, and we discovered that by letting go and trusting our lives to God
not only did we not sink to the depths, we experienced a life more beautiful
and meaningful than we could every have imagined.
There are many around
us still drowning, and we are called to proclaim Christ’s salvation, and
encourage our fellow humanity to stop fighting him off, to let him carry them
to safety. Many will hate our efforts
and fight us off, but buoyed by the love that our Savior
has for us and commanded of us, we can remain faithful to our call.
Let us pray. Savior God, you alone are our salvation. Support us with your love, that we may
overwhelm the world’s hate with that love.
Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
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