At the time of this writing, Christ-followers were suffering mistreatment because they professed that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Jesus Himself had warned His disciples, “In this world you will have trouble,” so John follows up with a reminder that the circumstances shouldn’t be unexpected. This world hates Jesus because He tells them they’re lost in sin. No one likes to hear that they’re doing something wrong, but what loving Savior would let them go on in their lostness and, consequently, suffer eternal separation from God the Father? If you’re suffering ostracism or persecution for following Jesus, you must be doing something right. The evil one isn’t going to pester a follower who isn’t truly following. No, suffering isn’t pleasant, but when I think of what Jesus suffered for me on that cross, I can deal with temporary mistreatment for my faith. As the song says, “I’d rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today.”