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

Following Jesus will put a target on your back. Not because you’re trying to start a fight — but because your very existence as a son of light exposes the darkness around you.

Jesus lived with perfect love, truth, and grace. And yet the world hated Him. Why? Because His light revealed what others wanted to keep hidden. His words confronted pride, sin, and the illusion of control. The religious elite didn’t nail Him to a cross because He was weak — they did it because His authority disrupted their world.

The same is true today. If you choose to walk with Jesus — to actually live as a son, not just wear the label of “Christian” — the world will notice. It will resist. It will mock. It may even hate. And that hatred is not evidence that you’re doing something wrong; it’s evidence that the same Spirit that was in Christ is in you.

Peter and John faced this after healing a lame man at the temple. They were arrested, threatened, and ordered to be silent. But they answered, “We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20) Courage isn’t measured by how much you’re liked — it’s measured by how willing you are to stand when you’re opposed.

Brother, the world’s hatred is not greater than Christ’s love. The pressure you feel doesn’t mean you’re failing; it means your light is shining. Remember who walks with you. Remember who has already overcome.