One of the difficult things to get people to realize is the fact that if we TRULY follow Jesus Christ and obey Him – most people in this world are NOT going to be our friend. It is human nature for us to seek the approval of our fellow man, especially our friends and families. However, Jesus warned against that when He said “For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” (Matthew 10:35) He knew that anyone who fully gives their lives to do what He commands us to do would do so at the risk of even losing the friendship of their own family members.
In the Bible, we read how the nation of Israel stoned, beat, and imprisoned prophets like Jeremiah for preaching the TRUTH. They stoned and beat the Apostle Paul for preaching the truth. And of course, they beat and eventually crucified our Savoir simply for preaching and teaching the truth. And – if we live a life that proclaims the Gospel – we should expect nothing less. Jesus warned us in John 15:18, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.”
Paul told us in Galations 1:10, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Note that last part…IF I were still trying to please man, I WOULD NOT BE a servant of Christ. That is simply part of living the Christian life, experiencing the hatred and rejection of others. When we truly live out the Christian life, our lives will be a brilliant beacon of light in this world, and those who enjoy living in the darkness of sin and error DO NOT want the light shining on them, so they will often take out their frustrations and hatred on us.
When Paul wrote about giving up this world to KNOW Jesus Christ, He also pointed out the fact that doing so would result in sharing in the suffering of Christ. “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings…” (Philippians 3:10) He knew that any life TRULY lived for Christ would result in suffering, but since Jesus Christ suffered to the point of death on the cross, we should also rejoice in “suffering” for the sake of the Gospel. We should realize and even EXPECT others to not like it when we seek to follow Him completely. But it is FAR better to please God than to try to please and gain the approval of man!