Jesus never allowed others opinion of him to stop Him from doing the Father’s will. He never allowed the Pharisees’ disdain for Him to stop Him from showing compassion, raising the dead, healing the sick, forgiving the sinner. He did not rage war on a corrupt and immoral Roman Government who was oppressing His people with excessive taxes.

Jesus knew the world would not receive Him. He knew He would be hated, beaten, rejected, and scorned. But none of this prevented Jesus from loving those He came to save. Their actions did not cause Him to react. He did what He came to do – love those who hated him, save those who rejected him, free those who sought to restrict Him.

Jesu is our example. No wonder His last words to His disciples are this: Love one another. The world will hate you but I command you to love one another.

I’m not sure why Christians are offended when the world does not accept us. We are not of this world. I’m not sure why we are so surprised when the world makes laws contrary to Christian beliefs. News flash people: Sinners sin. But in the midst of all the shenanigans of the world, Jesus’ commandment to us remain: Love One Another. He did not tell us to love when others love you. He said love one another even though the world will hate you.

Jesus loved us while we were dripping in sin. Jesus loved us when we were unlovable.

So my Christian friends, I encourage you to get over yourself. Get over your entitlement to be loved and accepted by this world. Get over your astonishment that sinners sometime act like sinners. And begin to love like Jesus. Let’s begin to see those sinners as men and women who are loved by God and who Jesus gave His life for. Let us love one another as Jesus loved us.

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.

This is my command: Love each other. “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. (‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭9-12, 17-19‬ NLT)