Being Hated

Matthew 10:22 "You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved."

Knowing that you are actively hated can be a frightening thought - especially if those who hate you can also hurt you. Hate can also be incredibly painful when it comes from family members or those who have been close to you. However, followers of Jesus should not be surprised by hate, nor should they fear it.

In Matthew 10:16-22, Jesus warns his twelve closest disciples of the cost of following him: "Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves; be wary and wise as serpents, and be innocent (harmless, guileless, and without falsity) as doves. Be on guard against men [whose way or nature is to act in opposition to God]; for they will deliver you up to councils and flog you in their synagogues, And you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a witness to bear testimony before them and to the Gentiles (the nations).

But when they deliver you up, do not be anxious about how or what you are to speak; for what you are to say will be given you in that very hour and moment, For it is not you who are speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child; and children will take a stand against their parents and will have them put to death.

And you will be hated by all for My name's sake, but he who perseveres and endures to the end will be saved from spiritual disease and death in the world to come]."

Notice that Jesus said not to be anxious. And, why could he say this? Because the world does not have the power to hurt his believers. Our earthly physical bodies will be shed when we die anyway - to be replaced by with new ones. Our duration after death is eternal, our duration on earth is very short.

While Jesus warned his twelve disciples - and therefore, all of his followers (even to this day) - he also promised a life of fullness and abundance. In John 10:10, Jesus says, "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)."

Believers live in this strange position of being hated and persecuted but also having a life full of abundance. 1 Peter 5:8 says "...your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." But verse 9 continues, "Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world."

Christian persecution certainly exists in America - often in the form of "Christians" who disagree with other Christians' faith and practice. How tragic this is considering that this country was founded to guarantee freedom of religion. Persecution is not, however, surprising. Jesus guaranteed that his followers would experience persecution. And, Jesus' promises never fail even when governments' promises do.

The one thing that Jesus' followers can not do is to hate back or to nurture hate for their oppressors. If they did so, then the thief/the devil/the roaring lion would win. Jesus said that hating someone in your heart is the same as murder. Hatred and fear are sin. Sin separates us from the goodness and abundance of God.

Therefore, "Fear not! If God be for us, who can be against us?" Or as young David put it, "Who is this uncircumsized Philistine!" Jesus said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

Believers will be hated, but don't need to hate back because they experience such great love from their merciful, just, loving and patient God. Endure!

Why are Amish stories so popular?

Amish stories are among the most popular fiction for Christian women. With new books by many authors – both established and new, from Beverly Lewis to Amy Clipston – Christian publishers continue to supply a raft of novels for hungry readers.

Beverly Lewis' first Amish fiction book was The Shunning. Published in 1997, it was the first in the Heritage of Lancaster County series. However, two years earlier, Hallmark had entered the Amish story market with its production, Harvest of Fire, starring Patty Duke and Lolita Davidovich. The film went on to win a Primetime Emmy and a Writers Guild of America award. Filmed on location in Iowa, many in the Mennonite community near Iowa City helped out in various ways with the production. The film pointed to incidents of Amish persecution, but its main theme was the cohesiveness of the community.

Amish people make incredible sacrifices to keep their unique community intact, and to limit the influence of the outside world on their children. Those sacrifices include cutting off members who leave (called shunning), ending education in the 8th grade, resisting the use of electricity or owning modern transportation, and maintaining use of the peculiar strain of German that they speak.

The Amish have also endured many types of persecution. In the 1960s, the Iowa government tried to interfere in Amish education by insisting that they hire “state certified” teachers. The Amish community near Oelwein refused, citing the increased cost. It is against Amish principles to go to court against anyone, so they were virtually defenseless. Newspapers, Chambers of Commerce and the Iowa Education Association publicly supported the arrest of Amish parents who wouldn’t comply despite the fact that, at the time, almost no parochial school and only about half of the public schools in the state met that requirement. According to a Donald B. Kraybill, in his book The Amish and the state, at this point the National Council of Churches stepped in and made the point that this was a religious issue. All the while the Amish were being fined thousands daily in court.

The issue in Iowa and other states was resolved at some point because the Amish still operate their one-room schoolhouses in the country. In Wisconsin, the Amish won a big victory due to the support of Christians outside the Amish community who advocated for them. These victories may have paved the way for the home-schooling movement.

Currently, the Amish community in northeast Iowa seems to be thriving. Not reliant on loans, they purchase farms with cash and are expanding into nearby areas. Obviously doing something right, their hard work keeps kids out of trouble and enriches families.

These factors seem to have attracted a great demand among women for Amish stories. They relate to the Amish struggle to educate their children as they see fit, and admire the strong Amish family model. Home-schooling parents have had to fight government interference, in many cases, to establish the “right” to educate their own children
The Amish choice to refuse telephones, computers and televisions may also provide inspiration to parents who wring their hands over the messages bombarding their children through their peers, the media and the Internet.

Amish families hold to a traditional structure where women keep the house, cook, clean, sew and mind the children. Men work with their hands to provide for their families. And, when someone has trouble, the entire community pitches in to help.

In addition to legal woes, the Amish have withstood much criticism and mockery from those who don’t understand their choices. Now that many practicing mainstream Christians are experiencing persecution in courts or ridicule in the media, they can empathize with and look to their Amish brothers and sisters as role models.


Christian books about Amish
* The Amish and the state, by Donald B. Kraybill, pages 98-112