Risk of Association
“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.”
John 15:18
Who do we associate with? Usually when we are associated with a certain group of people, we are each described by the same features of the group, good or bad, real or fake. “Oh you’re Catholic. You must be conservative.” “Oh, you must hate women and gay people.” Lies and untruth. Brothers and sisters, that’s the “price” we have to pay to be followers of Christ today. We will be misunderstood and hated. Because we are associated with Christ.
Jesus tells us that if the world hates you know that it hated Him first. Why does the world hate him? Because it does not know Him. The ways of the world advocate for fleeting pleasures and selfish ambitions. That’s the not the way of true joy and love. And since the world does not know Christ it hates Him because He stands against everything that the world uses to tempt us. But we must continue to stand and associate with the Lord, being the witness to the truth, to the One who is true and lasting Love. This association will cost us. Are we willing to remain associated with Christ?
