If we are Christians, the Bible encourages, indeed commands, us to live our lives for Christ, even when our values and perspectives are completely counter-cultural, possibly leading to ridicule and contempt. As Christ Himself said, “…but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 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” (John 15.19–20). We are not, of course, to invite or go looking for persecution. But the verb Jesus uses here is “will”, not “might”. We must expect a level of resistance.
This sounds all good and swell, but when push comes to shove we too often crumble and compromise with the world. I am always encouraged by a scene in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, when the family of Christian, the main character, beckons him to return from following God.
“But [Christian] put his fingers in his ears, and ran on, crying, Life! life! eternal life! So he looked not behind him, but fled towards the middle of the plain.”
Let us all plug our ears, keep our eyes on God, and run after Him. Let us all be motivated by our hope of eternal life, granted to us through the atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Christ’s death and resurrection has brought us life. Praise Him, praise Him, praise Him!