It's Ok to Hate Me

John 7:7 “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me…”

There is a place in this thing called surrender where we have to come to the place that it is ok for people, even those whom we truly love, to hate us. If we walk with Christ long enough, and close enough, our faith and commitment to the cross will be tested. Our confession that we share with Paul of having died with Christ on the cross will come under fire. If we claim to share Christ's cup, then we will face those who appear to “hate” us. Not because they do hate us, but because they hated Christ. For that matter… because we hated Christ.

Christ was nailed to a cross because of hatred. It was our sins He bore there, and it was in many ways also our hatred that hung Him there. And so we will share in that experience. The question is, what will we do with it?

My tendency is to defend myself; and if not defending myself, then to deflect with blame. But Christ never did this. For me if someone wants to hate on me, my natural tendency is to resort to intimidation. How can I mentally, emotionally, or physically intimidate the hater? They don’t have to love me, but by all means they are not allowed to hate me.

But it’s ok to hate me. At least that is what I am telling myself today. It ok to hate me, and I don’t have to eliminate them from my life. Just because they hate does not mean I have to stop loving. Isn't this the example that Christ gave us?

If the hate is directed at the part of me that is imperfect or not Christ like… that’s ok. If the hate is directed at the part of me is Christ like… that’s ok too. Either way the hate is not directed at me because I am neither Christ nor the imperfection.

So if someone wants to hate me, I am here to say, “It’s ok to hate me.” Or at least that is what I am telling myself.