The world hates the Lord's disciples (John 15:19). Little did I know so very many within the church would be among those doing the hating! Why? The righteousness of the obedient is convicting of the sins of the disobedient (2 Corinthians 2:14-16). Few like to face their own sins or be reminded of them by others, even implicitly.

The righteous need not say anything. Others who see righteousness will recognize it for what it is--at least deep down--and they'll want to hate you for it. Sadly, this happens even to those within the church. If you're "too righteous" in your actions--to say nothing of your words--then you're supposedly practicing the horrible sin of "holier than thou". In a culture where it's safe to be a believer, though, it's too easy to become a complacent one (if such can still be called a follower of Christ at all). This has happened in the American churches. I dare say most of those in the church today are not followers of the Lord at all, showing little to no fruit of a thriving relationship with their heavenly Master.

Homeschool, and those who don't will hate you for reminding them they send their precious littles off to the government or other strangers to be raised. Spend time with family, and those who don't will hate you for reminding them of their relative abandonment of their loved ones. Give freely, and those who don't will hate you for reminding them of their greed. Serve, and those who don't will hate for reminding them of their selfishness. Discipline your children, and those who don't will hate you for reminding them of their parental laziness and bratty or spoiled kids. Love the Lord, and those who don't or merely give it lip service will hate you for reminding them of their rejection of their rightful Master. Work diligently, and those who don't will hate you for reminding them of their sloth. Respect your wife, and those who don't will hate you for reminding them of their lust. Fast, and those who don't will hate you for reminding them of their gluttony. Pray, and those who don't will hate you for reminding them that they ignore the Lord. Grow, and those who don't will hate you for reminding them that they're willfully immature. Give up a bad habit, and those who don't will hate you for reminding them of theirs. Do the right thing, and those who don't will hate you for reminding them of their wrongs.

So what are the righteous--those who truly seek to actively obey the Lord in everything they do, despite imperfection at doing so--to do about this situation? At the heart of the matter, it's a simple choice: damned if you do, and damned if you don't. You're damned by fellow men, even church members and leaders, if you do choose righteous obedience; and you're damned eternally if you don't. Obviously, it's a no-brainer. Reject the world and choose Godly righteousness. In rejecting the world, though, it may also mean rejection of and by much of the modern, wayward church. So be it. You will not stand alone but with the Maker Himself. Matthew 5:16 clearly tells us hiding our righteousness is not an option. Of course, neither is bragging about it acceptable (Matthew 6:1). Just quietly do what the Lord calls you to do. Make no effort to laud it or hide it. Ignore those who hate you for it, even if they're within the church. Those who truly love the Lord will praise Him for your righteousness; the rest be damned.