Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
-Matthew 5:10-12
As followers of Christ we are called to endure persecution for the Kingdom of God. Jesus said that if we suffer persecution in His name that we are blessed. Those who have been beaten, tortured, and imprisoned for their faith probably didn’t feel very blessed, but Jesus said that indeed they are. The question for all of us, will we be such courageous witnesses for Christ that we even open ourselves up to persecution? Many are so quiet about their faith; it is such a well-guarded secret, that there is little chance of any persecution ever taking place. As I have said many times we need to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who are suffering terrible persecution for the name of Jesus.
Jesus spoke of the kinds of persecution we can face in His name; reviled, lies told about us, false accusations, and hatred. The Lord said when that happens to rejoice because our reward in heaven will outweigh anything we suffer here in this life. We are called to let the light of Christ shine from our lives and to honor Him in all areas of our lives and in everything we face.
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