The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

John 15:17-20, “’This I command you, that you love one another.

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.

19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose

you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

20 “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me,

they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.’”

Does everyone like you? I’ve met a number of persons who didn’t like me. Don’t let it bother you. Jesus did not say everyone would like us; rather, He said that we are to love them regardless of what they think of us. Admittedly, it’s hard to love some people. But we can love them if we love them through Christ. You probably know some Christians that you don’t like. Those are the very ones Jesus had in mind when He said, “love one another.” The word “another” (???????, allelon) means “another of the same kind”; in other words, other Christians.

One good reason not to want to be loved is because if the world loves you, you’re probably not a true Christian. See, the world hates Jesus! And if you begin to look too much like Him, the world will hate you the same way. Haven’t you noticed how your non-Christian “friends” stop phoning or texting you? Oh, they may say “Hi,” when they run into you somewhere, but you don’t live like they do, so you’re a stake in the heart of their parties. You kill their fun when you mention Jesus or the Bible or prayer. They have no idea how much joy you and I have in Him and all things related to Him.

Let’s suppose for a moment that you and your non-Christian friends work for a Christian boss. Out of the boss’s hearing, your non-believing friends speak of him as a tyrant! Do you have any idea what they say of you when you’re not around? Well, verse 20 above tells it quite clearly: “’A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me,

they will also persecute you.” You see, they don’t consider you or Christ as a “member of their group.” If they don’t speak well of Jesus, don’t expect them to speak well of you.”

But there’s a “flip side” to all of this. Those who live by the LORD’s Word (the Bible) will love you. And that’s the love you want. It’s true and pure and wholesome and Christ-like. And it’s a love that builds you up, not puts you down. Get

with the right crowd! Oh, be nice to the crowd that doesn’t like you, too. Some day, one of them will need a true friend, and will discover that you are the only one who will help. Keep ready! Stay in the Word! Keep praying! And keep loving!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”