The Christian must be always ready to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. * II Timothy 2:3* This world's system and the spirit of this world is diametrically opposed to true Biblical Christianity. This world hated Jesus Christ when He was here, and it now hates Jesus Christ in the lives of Christians (John 7:7; John 15:18-19; John 17:14; I John 3:13). When you profess to be not of this world, and take your lot without the camp with Jesus, you shouldn't expect the world's good word. A Christian cannot flatter the world and bow to it. Take up your Cross and deny yourself daily, and follow Jesus. Cease making Self the center of your life. The way of the Cross is self-denial. A deliberate, willful surrender of your life to Jesus Christ daily. Following and daily obeying Jesus, responding to the circumstances of life according to the Bible. Put Jesus first in all things.
Expect to receive hard measures, to be misconstrued and misrepresented and be despised and disdained. One of the sharpest trials of the Christian disciple's life is to be misunderstood, misrepresented, and belied. The more consistent and sincere you are in Christ's service, the more certain you are to be the butt of calumny. Don't expect the world to speak well of you, for the world never gave Jesus a good word. *Matthew 10:24* Christian zeal doesn't suit this slumbering age. Be willing to be despised and reproached for His dear sake. You will have your character besmeared by the tongues of envy and slander. The world ridicules prayer and faith in Jesus with their horse laugh.
The genuine Christian is the butt of ridicule, the subject of caricature, pointed at in the streets, whispered about, and despised. The moment your name is mentioned the world is ready to slander and abuse you. When you give up sin, the ridicule will be very unpleasant, and fingers will point at you. You will be the object of sharp cutting remarks and grating words. You are not fit to serve God unless you are willing to serve Him anywhere and everywhere. Serve God through bitter and sweet, through winter and summer, through ridicule and sarcasm. Care less and less for man's esteem. Your purity and integrity will never shield you from reproach, it will only increase the malicious attacks; the tongue of slander will always rail on you. The world can never understand a Christian, the world misunderstood Jesus all of His life.
The authentic disciple's actions are misrepresented, our motives are ridiculed, do not be surprised. Don't let the gibes and taunts of a godless workmate restrain you from following the Savior and that which is good. Persevere kindly under all rebuffs. Never turn aside from the Lord's work. You can be laughed into Hell, but you can never be laughed out of it again. It is better to be laughed at and go to Heaven, that to be applauded and wind up in Hell. Many are afraid to come away from their ungodly companions; the dread of the world's laughter terrifies them. Do not cast your soul away to escape ridicule. There's nothing in this world worth the loss of God's divine favor and fellowship. Men linger in sin like madmen for their love of sinful company. Secret communion with God gives strength and vigor to push on for Jesus. In the workshop Jesus is ridiculed and the Bible is joked about. The world will crack jokes, sneer at you, despise, ridicule, and contemn you utterly with its jests and sarcasm. The world's jeers and snide remarks will cut to the quick at times.
Your best endeavors will be misrepresented. You will encounter persecution disrespect, and difficulty. You will be laughed at and ridiculed. Cruel jokes will vex your spirit. Brave calumny and reproach with cheerfulness. Stand up boldly against against the howling and infuriated religious world. You will be slandered in your character, irritated and vexed. Be still, be very quiet and patient, bear it all. God, help me to bear contradiction of sinners against myself. Are you a lounger or laborer? Look not for your reward here. Man's praise is worth nothing. Look for your reward hereafter. The sure-enough child of God will be repulsed, laughed at, and be a subject of ridicule. Witnessing Christians are always laughed at and mocked.
Never put aside your colors, or deny the cross of Christ. Bear the blows the world lays upon you. The anvil breaks the hammers in the long run. Don't shrink in the day of trial or play the coward. Love the truth for truth's sake, God for God's sake, Christ for Christ's sake. If you are of the world, the world will love its own, but if you are not of the world, the world will hate you with slanders, cruel accusations, and shameful slurs. Consistence and sincerity will be met up with conflict. Be willing to bear reproach, to be scoffed at, to be ridiculed, and taunted. Brave the cold shoulder. Do not sneak through life as a coward, avoiding opposition and ridicule.
