A Thought For The Week Of June 4

Thought for the week: "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:10) The eighth Beatitude. I believe that "persecution" is an overused word in Western Christianity today. I know full well that there are Christians (and many others) who face persecution in today's world. But here in the West, to link the words "Christian" and "persecution" is ridiculous, and just cheapens the power of what Jesus meant. Having the Ten Commandments taken down from courtrooms or allowing gay-straight alliances in schools is not persecution. There are Christians who may not agree with either of those things, but they aren't being persecuted. We may sometimes be mocked for our faith, but we aren't being persecuted. But the early church faced real persecution, partly because they brought a message of freedom and dignity for all that was so offensive to those in power that persecution resulted. We might well ask why we aren't persecuted today in the West! Maybe because we often seem to have so little of real significance to say? Those who live the Gospel (truly and to the best of their ability) may well face persecution. There are examples of Western Christians who have faced conditions close to persecution. I think of Martin Luther King, Jr. for example. But those who live the Gospel (truly and to the best of their ability) also know that God approves and will not forsake them. The kingdom of heaven may be within us all, but surely there's a special place for those who serve and bear witness to God with all their being. May we strive to be among them! Have a great week!