“Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies” (Psalms 5:8)
     
Sinners hate Christians because they expose sin. “Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed” (John 3:19-20). Men will forgive a thousand faults in others, but they’ll magnify the most trivial offence in the followers of Christ. Instead of grieving over this, let’s use it for the Kingdom of God. Since so many are hoping we’ll stumble, this should motivate us to walk carefully. If we live carelessly, the world will see it, and will exaggerate the fault for maximum damage to the cause of Christ. They’ll shout triumphantly, “Aha! See how Christians act! They’re all hypocrites!” So let’s be “blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:14-15).

The cross of Christ is already to the “Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:23), so let’s not make any foolish stumbling blocks of our own. You’re not only being watched, but Satan’s servants are out to get you. Sinners will mischaracterize your motives even when they can’t find fault with your good deeds. There are spies everywhere, at home and abroad. If we fall into the enemies’ hands, don’t expect them to play by the rules of decent behavior. Fair warned is fair armed. “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18–19).