Daily Bread

'If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world—therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, “Servants are not greater than their master.” If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.'

When Jesus talks about being in the world but not belonging to it, he is not talking about us not belonging to 'planet earth' but talking about being called to live life in accordance with God's ways rather than the world's ways.

In fact, Christianity was first called 'The Way' because it meant living differently to others in society.

God's values are different to the world's values and the Christian is constantly finding themselves swimming against the tide of the latter.

It is worth spending a moment reflecting on what the world values, and I can suggest a few: acquisition of wealth and posessions, putting one's own needs first, the exploitation of natural resources, the justice of retaliation, and the oppression of those we consider inferior.

Bringing it down to examples in our daily lives, it means if someone hurts us, we don't seek to get our own back — we don't even gossip about them or put them down to others. In fact, we do the opposite. As far as we are able, without putting ourselves in danger or allowing ourselves to be exploited, we love them, we be be kind to them, and we pray for them.

Of course it's much, much easier to swim with the tide or simply let ourselves be carried by the current, and we constantly need to encourage one another, and be determined to do our best to live 'the way' of Jesus.

Holy God
It is so easy for me to be drawn
into living in the ways of the world
rather than living your 'way'
of peace, mercy, and love.
Today, help me reflect on my
own thoughts, words, and actions,
that I may commit to being more
patient, kind, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled.
Through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ.