Being liked by others seems to become an obsession for a majority of people. They don’t want to do or say anything that will offend people or cause them to speak poorly, so people often won’t stand firm in their faith or speak the truth in love for fear of being ostracized. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shows you when a curse is a blessing. In God’s eyes, if you are insulted for the sake of Jesus, you will be blessed.
LUKE 6:22
“Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.”
In Good Company
This passage is part of the Sermon on the Mount that Luke captures. Luke’s version is not as in-depth as Matthew’s, but he gives us some good nuggets. Here we see Jesus telling his listeners that they will be blessed when people hate you for His name’s sake. If you are cursed at, ostracized, and scorned, then you are in good company. Jesus went through all of that survived, so can you. The key is to make sure that it happens because of your faith and service in Jesus Christ and not because you are a royal jerk.
In Need of Approval?
Don’t live in constant fear of needing people’s approval. If you strive for people to like you, then you will be easily manipulated. Instead, seek to obey the Word of God and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. This will alleviate any stress of being a people pleaser. You won’t make decisions based on someone approving of what you’re doing. It will also provide a layer of insulation when they insult you.
When a Curse is a Blessing
If you are following Jesus, it will attract people who will persecute you. They may not tie you to a stack and burn you, but they will try to bring you down with their words. Always remember that it’s rarely about you but who you represent. Jesus said that people would reject Him because they love their sin more than the light of the world. Keep doing what you’re doing and realize that if people are cursing you for following Jesus, it is really a blessing.