Rejoicing in Persecution
The Blessed Way - 8
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” – Matthew 5:10-12
Two-hundred-forty-seven years ago, Thomas Jefferson penned the following words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Since that time confidence in our rights has only grown, especially the right to pursue happiness. Today that is usually defined as “I can do whatever I want unless it hurts someone else.” A brief look at the news shows what this definition of happiness often leads to.
In these Beatitudes, Jesus presents a different vision of happiness – one that does not seek first his own good but to honor God and give to others. After speaking of humility, mourning, meekness, etc., Jesus comes to the most difficult Beatitude: facing persecution. The word “persecute” derives from two Latin words meaning “to pursue or follow” and “to press forward.” The persecution Jesus speaks of is when you are pursued or oppressed because of submission and obedience to Christ. When we think of persecution, we usually think of the strongest type of persecution: prison, torture, etc. But persecution can be small, for example gossip and lies. According to our Savior, persecution for righteousness is one of the highest honors we can receive. Facing it with submission demonstrates our loyalty to God, just as the prophets faced it before us.
Pursuing the beatific life doesn’t keep you from persecution – it exposes you to it. When you openly honor God with humility and sincerity, it can upset and disturb others. This is part of our spiritual warfare. The principalities and powers try to lure us into lashing out. It is at that time most of all that we must not seek personal vindication, for our battle is not with flesh and blood. The goal of Satan is to fix your eyes on men and women and what they are doing to and saying about you. Don’t fall for it.
When it comes to persecution, we must beware of martyr syndrome, trying to ensure that others know we are suffering. Being a martyr brings with it a kind of glory. But the beatitudes are not a path to human glory; they are the path to be like Christ. They call us to pursue human flourishing through humility, sensitivity to sin, meekness, desiring justice and righteousness, mercy, purity of heart, peacemaking, and submitting to persecution for Christ’s sake. Does a tender-hearted man or woman run the risk of being mistreated? Yes. The greatest prophets faced tribulation and many died ignominiously. Whether it is public or private persecution, Jesus says to “rejoice and be exceedingly glad, because your heavenly reward is great.” This is echoed in other exhortations throughout Scripture, such as “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials,” or “Give thanks in all things.” Our enemy can do nothing when a saint of God rejoices in the face of persecution. Don’t worry about how you will handle tomorrow’s trials or sorrows. God will not forget you; He will in due time raise you up. “They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They shall mount up on wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
The Lord be with you all,
Matt