Matthew 5:10-12
“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
“Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Almost every day, there are posts and “memes” on social media encouraging us to “share this if you are a Christian.” If Jesus Christ is your LORD and Savior, you are urged to change your status for an hour/day/week to declare this in some form. There are bumper stickers to persuade fellow drivers to “Honk if you love Jesus,” and more “causes” that supposedly demonstrate to others just what good Christians we are than we could ever begin to take on.
At the risk of being ridiculed, judged – or even remotely persecuted – I do not share these posts/memes. My Christian faith is not defined by whether or not I support petitions to “reinstate prayer in public schools,” or display copies of the Ten Commandments in public places. It doesn’t matter whether I offer a prayer before meals in public (or elsewhere). How much I give to the church (time, talents and money) is no one else’s business. But an awful lot of “Christians” seem to want to make these things – and our stance on other issues – an important part of their “assessment” of just how faithful and faith-filled many of us are.
We all know that this form of judgment is not true “persecution”…although it can feel pretty miserable at times. Certainly, there are those who have literally suffered for their faith…who have been beaten, tortured, exiled, ostracized, and excluded. And maybe on a much smaller scale, such things have happened to you. Perhaps your faith cost you a friend or two... a job - or even a relationship with a relative. Maybe your prayerfully considered stance on social issues caused others to label you as sinful – or fully in the devil’s camp.
Let me ask you something…”What does Jesus say?” Have you checked in with Jesus daily to make sure that what you think, say, and do always lines up with His will over everyone else’s? Have you boldly stepped out to serve as Christ’s disciple on this earth with faithful obedience…regardless of the potential for criticism, ridicule, and rejection from others? What do the words, “Take up your cross and follow Me” mean to you?
Years ago, I sat in a room with a group of people attending a Walk to Emmaus and faced a primitive wooden cross. A precious pastor friend sat beside me and asked some profound questions…”What are you going to do? Are you going to leave your burdens at the cross and trust Jesus? Or are you going to pick them up and carry them a while longer?” To surrender everything to Jesus opens the door for blessings and abundance. If you choose to do otherwise, you stand to miss out on receiving all that He wants to give you.
Too many of us are stubborn and rebellious at times…and I include myself into this category. But I don’t want to miss out on the opportunity for a single blessing from Jesus. So I am doing all I can to strengthen my commitment to Him. I know that when I stay in His will, there might be critics - and those who will try to tear me down. But I know the power of Jesus Christ working in and through me…and I say, “Bring it on!” What about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
“Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Almost every day, there are posts and “memes” on social media encouraging us to “share this if you are a Christian.” If Jesus Christ is your LORD and Savior, you are urged to change your status for an hour/day/week to declare this in some form. There are bumper stickers to persuade fellow drivers to “Honk if you love Jesus,” and more “causes” that supposedly demonstrate to others just what good Christians we are than we could ever begin to take on.
At the risk of being ridiculed, judged – or even remotely persecuted – I do not share these posts/memes. My Christian faith is not defined by whether or not I support petitions to “reinstate prayer in public schools,” or display copies of the Ten Commandments in public places. It doesn’t matter whether I offer a prayer before meals in public (or elsewhere). How much I give to the church (time, talents and money) is no one else’s business. But an awful lot of “Christians” seem to want to make these things – and our stance on other issues – an important part of their “assessment” of just how faithful and faith-filled many of us are.
We all know that this form of judgment is not true “persecution”…although it can feel pretty miserable at times. Certainly, there are those who have literally suffered for their faith…who have been beaten, tortured, exiled, ostracized, and excluded. And maybe on a much smaller scale, such things have happened to you. Perhaps your faith cost you a friend or two... a job - or even a relationship with a relative. Maybe your prayerfully considered stance on social issues caused others to label you as sinful – or fully in the devil’s camp.
Let me ask you something…”What does Jesus say?” Have you checked in with Jesus daily to make sure that what you think, say, and do always lines up with His will over everyone else’s? Have you boldly stepped out to serve as Christ’s disciple on this earth with faithful obedience…regardless of the potential for criticism, ridicule, and rejection from others? What do the words, “Take up your cross and follow Me” mean to you?
Years ago, I sat in a room with a group of people attending a Walk to Emmaus and faced a primitive wooden cross. A precious pastor friend sat beside me and asked some profound questions…”What are you going to do? Are you going to leave your burdens at the cross and trust Jesus? Or are you going to pick them up and carry them a while longer?” To surrender everything to Jesus opens the door for blessings and abundance. If you choose to do otherwise, you stand to miss out on receiving all that He wants to give you.
Too many of us are stubborn and rebellious at times…and I include myself into this category. But I don’t want to miss out on the opportunity for a single blessing from Jesus. So I am doing all I can to strengthen my commitment to Him. I know that when I stay in His will, there might be critics - and those who will try to tear me down. But I know the power of Jesus Christ working in and through me…and I say, “Bring it on!” What about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
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