Overcome!

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
                                             --Matthew 5:10

When I think about persecution of Christians throughout time and throughout the world today, I have to stop and thank God that I have been so blessed to live in the place and time that I do.  The early Christians living in the Roman Empire had to face the sword of the soldier and the gladiator, the claws of wild beasts, and the tyranny of an insane emperor who lit believers on fire to light his banquets.  In the world today, many Christ followers are forced to meet in hidden places and worship in hushed tones for fear of the state, their neighbors, and even their own families.  Imprisonment, torture, exile, and even death are still prevalent in some parts of the world as though the Roman Empire still reigned.  (If you have a strong stomach, google images of Christian persecution.  It is shocking!)  To stop for a moment and pray for believers and those sharing the gospel around the world is always appropriate.

The persecutions we face here at home seem small in light of world history and current world affairs, but they are still real for us here and now.  Almost every day, we hear of some twelve year old girl being sued for talking about her faith at school, a nativity scene being torn down, a beauty pageant contestant being ridiculed for standing up for her beliefs, and on and on and on.  We experience less freedom to talk about faith matters in the workplace and various public arenas.  In light of current trends, do not expect things to get any easier.

So, whatever trials you're dealing with; whatever persecutions or hardships, remember these words from Jesus' brother and leader of the first century church in Jerusalem, James:

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance...Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." (James 1:2, 3, 12)

And so we see that the crown of life, the kingdom on heaven, will be given to those who perservere through trial, persecution, hardship. 

And again, Jesus does not ask us to do what He is not willing to do.  Think about this.  Jesus was thrown out of His hometown, his brothers thought He was crazy, threatened with stoning, tried in a circus of a trial, denied, deserted by His closest friends, beaten, mocked, spat upon, unsulted, and nailed to a cross.  Now those are trials.  Did Jesus perservere?  Absolutely!  And praise be to God He did because not only does the kingdom of God belong to Him, but, through His trials, He has opened the kingdom of heaven to us.  And He Himself will bestow the crown of life to those who perservere the trials.  I for one, will gladly take on the insults of men to hear the words "well done" from Him.