Dear Friends,

READ PROVERBS 29:1 THROUGH 31:31

An easy way to make enemies is often to become a strong Christian who stands firmly in the faith. The world’s values are upside down. All too often those who follow Jesus are seen as bad people, while sinners are embraced as good.

The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright (Proverbs 29:27).

Why does this happen? It’s the result of everyone having a conscience born of God. The righteous are aware of sin and strive to avoid it. Meanwhile, the worldly are also aware of sin, so they are convicted by a Christian’s righteousness. However, the worldly refuse to repent. Instead, they follow Satan’s prompts to keep living in sin and hating God’s people.

Christians shouldn’t expect to be popular, even with their own relatives sometimes. The world’s value system is directly opposite of God’s values, so those who live for righteousness are often targeted by the wicked.

Instead of responding in anger, Christians should rejoice because they are persecuted for upholding God’s values.

Challenge for Today: When sinners treat you badly, see it as a confirmation that you’re truly God’s child.