How does Jesus expect us to react under persecution? Rejoice and be glad! That is right. Can we jump up and down for joy? With Jesus, it is not that we will be persecuted. We will. This issue is how we react.
Now that is radically different. That is not what I thought Jesus would say. Be happy. Be joyful. Dance a happy dance.
We are not to retaliate like an unbeliever, nor to sulk like a child, nor to lick our wounds in self-pity like a dog, nor just to grin and bear it like a Stoic, still less to pretend we enjoy it like a masochist.
“Fortunate[Blessed] are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” | Matthew 5:11-12
God’s goal: What then? We are to rejoice as a disciple should rejoice and even to ‘leap for joy’. Why so?
- Partly because, Jesus added, our reward is great in heaven.
- We may lose everything on earth, but we will inherit everything in heaven — not as a reward for merit, however, because ‘the promise of the reward is free’.
- Partly because persecution is a token of genuineness, a certificate of authenticity, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before us.
When we are persecuted today, we belong to a noble succession. But the major reason why we should rejoice is because we are suffering, Jesus said, on my account, on account of our loyalty to Jesus and to his standards of truth and righteousness.
Certainly, the apostles learnt this lesson well for, having been beaten and threatened by the Sanhedrin, ‘they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name’.
They knew, as we should, that ‘wounds and hurts are medals of honor’ for Jesus.
Jesus Quotes and God Thoughts 
We face trials and tribulations in life but as you point out, our wounds and hurts are medals of honor. Thanks for sharing and God Bless!
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Michael,
Your post stated,
“We are not to retaliate like an unbeliever, nor to sulk like a child, nor to lick our wounds in self-pity like a dog, nor just to grin and bear it like a Stoic, still less to pretend we enjoy it like a masochist.”
In my opinion, Christians have been treated unfairly by having to pay two tuitions with their taxes. One to fund public and one to fund their choice of private religious schools.
In the past, Christians did so joyfully and did not complain, Sadly, though over time the costs of education have become so expensive that it is no longer possible for the majority average American families to afford to pay two tuitions.
Or in other words, unless we speak up, religion will continue to wane in the USA as is being experienced with continual school closings of private religious schools.
In other words, as King Solomon observed about time to rend and sew, Christians need to get involved to help elect legislators to support school vouchers to end a form of persecution by no longer being able to afford to pay for their First Amendment Rights of religion.
This is not retaliation, it is end having to lick our wounds etc.……….to correct a form of economic persecution, in my opinion.
Regards and goodwill blogging.
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Thanks brother. I am speaking about persecution. Jesus is clear how we are to react to that. The specific reference is how to act when “when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”
Have a super day.
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This would be very relevant for our time
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