Persecuted into the Promise by Deon Crafford

Matt 5:10-12 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

If there is one thing a true believer may be assured of, it is that persecution will accompany you through this life. You see, the life of Jesus Christ is an antithesis of how the world functions, and if I am going to attempt to be like Him, I will need to stand against the ways of the world. This sounds like self-inflicted pain and not a comfortable undertaking, but then is this not what righteousness is? Do I continuously have to fight with everything and everyone? No, Jesus did not fight His way through His ministry. But He also did not mince His words when pointing out injustice, greed, corruption, exploitation, entitlement, deception, superficiality, to name but a few acceptable worldly practices. If we really live Christ, we’re likely to be targeted as an enemy. We will lose friends and opportunities, sometimes even be ostracised from our families. Persecution can also become life threatening if the light you shine reveals too much of the darkness, or even if you’re too much of a peacemaker. But beyond the persecution lies the hope – the promise of Jesus that our place in the Kingdom is reserved. This may sound a little unrealistic, but if you don’t experience forms of persecution, you may want to have your heart searched for how strongly you desire to be like Jesus Christ. Remember, He was not actively seeking conflict with everyone, but incisive when the light needed to shine in the darkness. It’s good to remember that His life and persecution are what makes us share, read and believe this today. There are so many more that need to know Him and know Him deeper.

Love to all