Mistreated and Undefeated

“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 5:12 (NIV)

How can you rejoice when you’re rejected?

You may have used a pressure cooker in your kitchen to prepare a meal. It is a sealed chamber that traps the steam generated from heating food. As the steam rises the pressure increases and your food cooks more quickly. 

That pressure cooker can do two things: It can take a piece of meat and turn it into a melt-in-your-mouth roast or it can take fruit and turn it into mush. It all depends on what’s inside. 

You live in a pressure cooker. The church and followers of Jesus face increasing criticism and hostility. This pressure can make you better, or it can melt your heart with fear. When you continue to place your trust in Jesus, it’s like an anchor that no torrent of criticism can touch.

Perhaps it sounds discouraging to imagine that standing up with Jesus means you will be persecuted. But Jesus says to celebrate and be overjoyed with excitement. Why? You can be glad even when you’re rejected because of your beliefs or mistreated by the world because you have a great reward. 

With Jesus, the reward far outweighs the cost. You may lose popularity but you’ll gain a crown that cannot be lost, forever reigning next to Jesus. When you let go of any desire for people’s empty praise to receive the complete approval of God. 

And if you are known by the company you keep, this is pretty good company. Did you know that God’s hall of fame is filled with the persecuted? Moses, Joseph, Nehemiah, and Jeremiah were persecuted. Peter, Paul, James, and John all gave their lives for the sake of Jesus Christ. 

When the pressure is on, you don’t have to run or retreat. You can rejoice, smile, skip, and clap your hands because you know that God is with you, always. Persecution is not a burden to bear but a promised badge of honor you carry. And Jesus guarantees you a great reward.

Prayer: Dear Father, Thank You for any troubles or persecution I experience because I follow You. Through the power of Your Spirit, give me the strength and wisdom to always stand for the truth of Your Word. May I carry an abiding joy in the face of persecution, knowing You are forging a faith within me that will bring praise, glory, and honor to Your name. For Jesus’ sake, I pray, amen.