Matthew 5:10: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Men, the kingdom of God is made up of righteous lives who are so committed to Christ that they often cause others who are not so fervent in their faith to persecute them in some way. We don’t receive hard persecution in this country, but sometimes soft persecution. Perhaps people may ostracize you, speak negatively about you, or make you feel unwelcome.
John 7:1-13 reveals that even Jesus’ own brothers and sisters opposed him. Verse 5 says: “Neither did his brethren believe in him.” They wanted Jesus to demonstrate His miraculous power openly and to promote Himself publicly. But Jesus knew that He would be killed before His time if he conformed to the ways and opinions of man. He was led by the Spirit which His family did not understand.
Persecution can be very real even in Christian families when one member chooses to really push into God. Fathers, we must encourage our children to seek God for themselves. This requires them to get away in some quiet place, take their Bibles and read, pray, and worship. Other members of the family may cause some opposition but we must encourage our children to keep a right attitude and always repay the negative with prayer, a smile of blessing, and good deeds.
If we can’t handle the soft persecution; how will we handle the hard persecution?
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell