I understand your objections. But from my experience, no matter where you go, you'll find that people are the same everywhere, driven by the same instincts.
Without God, human society it's just a mess, and people calling themselves Christians doesn't mean that they are always Christ-followers. (including me, unfortunately sometimes)
But there is a fascinating and really functioning way, how to deal with hostility (perceived or real), even from fellow Christians.
A long time ago, I have read a remarkable book named "Love: The Way to Victory" written by an old Pentecostal preacher Kenneth Hagin.
You won't convince probably many Christians to read it, and I was somehow skeptical too.
But when I was practicing these teachings established on Biblical verses, it worked perfectly. God blessed me greatly.
I still remember these verses: "We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister."
Do you see that? It's a command. "Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister." No exception and no excuses.
It was a hard pill to swallow for me, I must say honestly. My natural psyche doesn't like to act lovely towards people who are not nice to me.
Also, I never changed permanently to a person who is a "people lover".
I needed to reread this book again and make it an intentional decision to keep that command. (And now is time to read it for me again, I think)
But walking in God's love really works. It's not cowardice and weakness as many think. Actually, it requires more strength, not to answer to hostility naturally as we feel it inside.
And I remember that victorious feeling too when you know, that nobody can harm you, because through God's love (Agape in Greek) you are immune to any damage inflicted by others.
It's a really great and fearless state, being independent of others' feelings and moods, and still being in God's will. And that is important because otherwise there is only a popular "I don't give s..." technique, which is pretty fake because users of it are not tough as they try to pretend, and they actually care a lot about many little silly things.
But using God's manuals always works. (and we are always surprised by it)
I would like to put here a short review of that book from amazon, which I found quite descriptive and reasonable.
Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2016
Verified Purchase
I've started reading this book for the third time. It's simply amazing.
Always think the best of people.
Never say anything negative about another.
Always put other people first.
Bless people, even when they seem bent on your downfall.
It sounds simple but when you put it into practice your whole life changes.
I could give many examples in my own life, from working with a difficult boss, to my relationship with my girlfriend. God has really started to bless me.
I recommend all of Kenneth E. Hagin's books.
[I understand that many people are turned off by the whole 'Word of Faith' label, as was I. However, before it became corrupted and commercialized on television - this guy had it right. He just nailed it. Read his books.]
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