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 5:11-12
Why do we act all surprised when the world comes against us? We live in a world that is ruled by economics. We must buy and spend to be accepted. If you choose to live differently, you will be persecuted.
First a lesson. There are four real divisions of society, and one of these four areas will be the ruler over the others in any nation. First are the family and close friendships. When this division is in control, there is pride and shame to control society. These folks know you and will call you out when you make mistakes. Second is faith. Here there are common acceptable behaviors laid out and sacred scriptures to lead and guide us. This division rules in Islamic nations. While there are often disagreements on what constitutes sin, this division will always claim the sacred texts will show us the way. Third is politics. The government will tell us what to do. This division rules in places like China and Russia. The Fourth is economics. Marketers tell us what we want and then sell it to us. Money rules.
In the days of Jesus, the family and close friendships were the dominate division. But the economics were growing. At least part of the problem that the scribes and other rulers had with Jesus was that He was causing them to lose money. Consider what was going on. In ancient Jewish society, if you had sin in your life, you went to the temple and bought a sacrifice and gave it to the rulers of the temple. When Jesus simply forgave people for free, this cost the leaders money. How about Jesus healing folks? These two were expected to go to the temple and pay a fee for getting well.
In America today, we are bought and sold daily. For those who choose the way of God, we don’t really fit neatly into any of these divisions. For the follower of Jesus, we are dedicated to living the Gospel. I hate to say it, but going to church does not make you a Christian; it does not matter how long you have been going. Does your faith shape your life? Does your faith determine who you vote for, how you spend your time, or your values? For most in the body of Christ, this is simply not true. Granted, here in the Bible Belt, we have many club members, but few real followers of Jesus.
One of the things that amazed people in Jesus’s day was that, unlike the scribes, Jesus shared real wisdom. The scribes only regurgitated what they heard and read. I hear many preachers today preaching sermons they heard someone else preach or read the texts of others. For the follower of Jesus, that will not do. We immerse ourselves deeply into the Scriptures and allow ourselves to be mastered by it. Regardless of what the church, our government leaders, marketers, or even our families tell us, we will obey the King of Kings.
When you do this though, others will judge you and talk about you behind your back. Others will call you out on social media and other places in an attempt to humiliate and embarrass you. Do not be discouraged. For the persecution there is light. Our brothers and sisters in Christ, in some parts of the world, are paying with their lives.
