Don’t be surprised when and if the world hate you because of your righteousness.  In the verses preceding this one he’s been talking about the righteous living righteously and the sinner sinning.

He mentioned Cain and how he killed his brother Abel because Abel’s works were righteous and Cain’s weren’t.  That same spirit operates in the earth today.  There are those that hate Christians because the Christian’s works are righteous and theirs are not.

There’s something about those who are in sin wanting to get rid of those who are righteous.  It happened to Jesus.  Jesus said to those who wanted to stone Him, "many good works have I shown you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me (John 10:32)?"  Don’t be surprised when persecution comes because of your righteous deeds and don’t compromise because of it.

Confession:

I will not be surprised if the world hates me because of my righteousness and my righteous deeds.  I will watch so I don’t become one who criticizes others for their good deeds.