“Blessed are you when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Matthew 5:11-12
In this beatitude Jesus mentions three broad categories of suffering that Christians will face. First is persecution (v.10). Persecute means to “pursue” or “to chase away” and over time it came to mean “to harass” or “to treat in an evil manner.” Verse 10 literally reads, “Blessed are those who have been allowing themselves to be persecuted.” As strange as it may feel you are literally blessed when people harass you for your stance as a believer, when you willingly accept it for the sake of the Lord.
The second form of suffering is “insults” meaning to “revile” or “heap insults upon.” This is plain and simple verbal abuse, attacking someone with vicious and mocking words. Christ was mocked and abused at His crucifixion! We will be mocked and abused for our stance as a Christian. The third category is that of slander, people telling lies about us! This may be one of the hardest as a Christ-follower, because our effectiveness for the Lord is directly related to our personal purity and integrity. It is extremely difficult when someone is trying to destroy the reputation you worked so hard to build.
However, focusing on the promise “for your reward in heaven is great” instead of our difficult circumstances is how we will experience happiness amid suffering!
Thank God for the example of Christ and the prophets who have suffered for Him and then ask the Lord to give you the right perspective during suffering while praying for those who insult you for your faith.
An Integrity Hockey Stop~n~Think — 6.17.2022
