Haters. We all have them, it seems. On the radio, we dedicate songs to them: “To
all my haters out there…” We are often
motivated by them, finding ways to “rise above.” We can’t wait to talk about them on our
Facebook pages, our Twitter feeds, and blogs (like this one, I guess!). By all appearances, we also love to hate our
haters.
Jesus had haters. He didn’t hate them though. And truly, Jesus had it from all angles. If we define haters are “those who oppose our efforts or lifestyle,” his
hater list was extensive. And, if we define
haters as “those who fail to support
our efforts or lifestyle,” Jesus was indeed a man “despised and rejected”
(Isaiah 53:3). Judas betrayed him. Peter denied him. Thomas doubted him. On the
day of His arrest and crucifixion, all fled from him. Yet he didn’t deserve any
of it.
Jesus said His followers would be hated
too. “You will be hated by all for my name's
sake.” (Luke 21:17). A servant is not
greater than his Master. In a real sense, a true disciple should not be
surprised by or preoccupied with haters.
After all, they would know it’s the nature
of the hater to hate. And a hater’s hatred says more about them than the one being hated. Think about what Jesus said of Satan and
those who belong to him: “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to
do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not
stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a
liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
Jesus says a disciple is blessed when they
are hated. “Blessed are you when people
hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil,
on account of the Son of Man!” (Luke 6:22).
Yet here’s the thing: Jesus assumes here that the reason we are being
hated is due to our commitment to Him. He says: “And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one
who endures to the end will be saved” (Matt 10:22). The hatred being endured
comes from being fully devoted and sold out for Him—for living a life that is
honoring to God. I must ask myself: Is this why I have haters?
Moreover, Jesus instructs His disciples on
how to handle haters. “But I say to you who
hear, love your enemies, do good to those
who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you”
(Luke 6:27-28). And Peter tells us this:
“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test
you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may
also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for
the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God
rests upon you” (1 Peter 4:12-14). A
good sign that I am a true disciple: Is this my response and attitude, or have
I chosen other ways to relate to my haters?
Honestly, I’m not ready to say that all / most of
the opposition or lack or support I face comes from being a fully devoted follower of Jesus. So, if I am being plagued by haters, and am attacked
daily by negativity, what other explanations could there be? I think the scriptures give us some good, yet
tough things to ponder above ourselves:
- Ask…am I being a hater? The scriptures are clear that we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). If my life is filled with haters, it may be that I am filling others with my own hatred. That is, I may be spreading my own negativity and inviting it back into my life. In this case, the answer is to pursue love (1 Corinthians 14:1) so that I may overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).
- Ask…is this perception or reality? One week during Sunday school, our teacher Roy made a profound statement. He said: “So often in life, it’s not what people actually think of you, but what you think people think of you that upsets you.” In that way, I may be creating negativity and inventing it in my life. Some of my “suffering” may be perceived or imagined. We can then develop a love-hate relationship with our “haters.” We feel more important or significant, because we can tell people: “Look how much I am being hated!” In this case, the answer may be to take our thoughts captive to test them and to learn to rest in how God views us.
- Ask…why am I still here? If we are in a bad situation, God may not want us to stay there. He may want us to be free of the shackles, so we can be free to love. However, we can convince ourselves to settle. And we may not be haters yet, but by being around them, we can become them. Paul warns that “bad company corrupts good morals,” and Jesus tells us to “shake the dust off our sandals” (Luke 9:5). But we have a way of seeking out drama, instead of fleeing from it. Thus, I may be welcoming negativity and keeping it in my life. In this case, the answer may involve moving forward without them.
I know that it can get more complicated than
this. For instance, we may be wondering:
what if I live with the haters (be it spouses, children, etc.)? What if my haters are my own flesh and blood? And what if I am doing all the right things,
and am being attacked by my own church?
In this case, all I could say: Ask…have
I prayed for wisdom?
God gives wisdom generously, to all who ask,
without reproach (James 1:5). This is great
news, because even if we are haters ourselves, we can still get the wisdom we
need to repent and make it right before God.
A great book of the Bible to read on this
topic is 1 Peter. He is writing to the
persecuted Church, and he shares truth on how to face suffering as a follower
of Christ. He asks good questions like:
Isn’t it better to suffer for doing right than doing wrong? And he says this: “Above all, keep loving one
another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Remix:
Haters gonna hate. But true disciples gotta love!
