If they hate us, things are in order

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. John 15:18-19 NIV
I read that anti-Christian sentiment has been on the increase around the world. In Ivory Coast (country in West Africa) Muslims have murdered no less than 1000 Christians. I also remember reading that in 2010 groups of people in India were murdered for faith in Jesus. I recall reading about two women imprisoned in Tehran for refusing to renounce their faith in Christ. And in the US, there is so much negativity surrounding Christianity that even the simple act of public prayer, is in some cases, illegal. I think the Bible tells us where all of this anti Christian sentiment will peak. "A time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God" (John 16:2).
If the world hates us, then things are in order. Or you could say that if you are humbly following God and getting in trouble for it, then you are probably doing it right. When people hear the truth of Christ, they are confronted with their own eternity. To one group of people we believers are the smell of impending judgment. And to others, the ones looking for God, we are the sweet smell of salvation (2 Corinthians 2:16).
Though the world may hate you for your faith, I ask you to remember what your salvation costs and what you have to gain by following Christ. Jesus says that he will be with us to the end (Matthew 28:20). Whoever finds his life will loose it and whoever looses his life for my sake will find it (Matthew 10:39). Hold on till the very end so that you can receive the crown of life (James 1:12). We may suffer at the hands of those that can destroy our bodies. But we are held up by the nail scarred hands that have saved our souls.