The child of God is accepted in the beloved, but may be rejected by his associates. He has come into earth’s greatest fellowship, but in doing so has become a riddle to his friends. He has become a citizen of heaven, but is now a pilgrim and a stranger in this world.

This turn of events should not surprise us. Jesus said: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also” (John 15:18-20).

The Christian may not be popular on planet earth.

Never mind. A better day is coming. And on that good day, we shall be like Jesus.

What will it mean to be like Him? We cannot fully understand. But we know that we will have perfect bodies that will never be affected by sickness or infirmities and that death will be no more. This anticipation should fill our hearts with joy!

If we are alive when Christ returns, we shall escape death. If death has overtaken us, our bodies will be resurrected in that perfect form. David, the Psalmist, said it well: “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake with thy likeness” (Psalm 17:15).