Remember, it Hated Me First…

The older I get, the less I take offense to others’ response to my presence. The closer I get to God, and the more I become like Him, the harsher negative responses seem to become. Really, it’s not that they’ve grown harsher, it’s that they’ve become more apparent.

I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t frustrating at times, especially when you’re intentional about walking in love. But what grounds me is remembering what the Word of God says about those who follow Christ: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (John 15:18).

The key is to remember who and whose you are, and walk like you know. When negative responses to your presence begin to feel like flying darts sent to destroy you, it’s easy to start believing you are the problem, even when you’re walking in love and truth. But it’s not what it seems. Most of the time, the problem is not you, it’s beyond you.

If the world could crucify a perfect man, how much more contempt do you think it would have toward His imperfect brothers and sisters?

In the same way Christ’s presence challenged the wicked because it exposed their shortcomings, causing them to reject Him, His Spirit, exuding from you, can warrant a similar response. Not because of you, but because of Him. And not because something is wrong with Him, but because wickedness hates exposure.

I was led to Proverbs 18:3 today:
“When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes reproach.”

The definition of contempt: worthlessness, inferiority, deserving of disrespect, a deep disrespect paired with the sense that “you’re beneath me.”

But I want to look at this from a different angle, recognizing the internal wound that can lead to contempt toward the Spirit of God, and as a result, toward the children of God.

Let’s look at Christ first, because there’s no better example, then bring it back to us.

Christ was perfect. Worthy of it all. Superior. Deserving of all honor and praise. Yet man’s response to His presence and His confidence in His identity despite what authority tried to label Him, was contempt. The very opposite of what was due Him.

Why?

Because Christ’s perfection reminded a people who thrived on image and the approval of others that they were not, and could never be, perfect. That no matter how hard they tried, they would always fall short.

Though the intent was for us to see Him, in order that we might truly see ourselves, Christ was not sent to condemn us for our imperfect nature. He was sent to bridge the gap between who we are and who we were created to be. In the flesh, it’s impossible, but by the Spirit, it is already done. We will never be perfect in this lifetime, but take heart, Christ was then, and still is now, for us.

Let’s go deeper.

We know it wasn’t just because of who Christ was that contempt became His portion, it was because of who they were.

What His nature revealed about their nature led to self-contempt. And when you’re unaware of what’s causing that kind of spiritual discomfort, the instinct is to project it, to reflect that inner contempt onto someone else who doesn’t deserve it.

Instead of leaning into the discomfort of exposure, we look for the nearest place to shift blame.

When Jesus arrived, man’s reaction was essentially:
“It can’t be us, it must be Him. Because when He showed up, something in me shifted.”

In those moments, pride takes the front seat. Instead of allowing space to consider that we may have been wrong all along, or that we misunderstood what it meant to be a child of God, hearts harden, and the challenge to change was rejected.

I’ll say it again…

If they could have contempt for a perfect man, how much contempt do you think they’ll have for His imperfect brothers and sisters?

So when you’re faced with an unwarranted negative response to your presence, not due to tasteless actions, but simply your presence, remember:

It’s not you they can’t fathom.
It’s the Christ in you.

And it’s not the Christ in you that is worthy of contempt, it’s the posture of a heart that resists Him, exposed in His presence, and unwilling to give Him what He is due.