SCRIPTURE: Acts 25
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
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] These words of Jesus sound lofty, but the actual experience of being insulted, persecuted and lied about is very disheartening. Paul seems to maintain joy and hope, even though his circumstances are so discouraging.
I cannot imagine enduring what Paul went through. After all this time, even though the Jewish leaders have no evidence, he is still under arrest and at the mercy of the Roman government. His whole situation is unjust. And yet Jesus says, ‘rejoice and be glad’. This make me think of Paul and Silas singing in prison [Acts 16:25].
We should not seek out persecution. We should not aim to be martyred. Our goal should be to demonstrate and declare the message of Jesus. The result will be some people being remarkably saved and blessed, while others will become angry and hurtful. Our task, like the prophets, is to get the message out, in word and in deed. To speak it and to live it. And then leave the results in God’s hands.
The Lord may allow us to endure hardship – like the prophets – but always for a purpose. We know that Paul was called to be a missionary to the Gentiles, and to bring the message to the ends of the earth. These unfair circumstances are all a part of God’s plan. As in the story of Joseph, these Jewish leaders are doing what they do with ungodly purposes (they were planning to ambush and kill Paul!!!), but God is working things out to bless many [Genesis 50:20].
My problem is that when faced with an opportunity to share the message of Jesus, I am often struggling with the ‘what if’ questions, fearing how people might react, fearing rejection or looking stupid. Instead my focus should be on finding positive, gracious ways of speaking, and trusting the Spirit to work through my best efforts. If I focus on avoiding rejection instead of on communicating Jesus, I may in fact avoid rejection, but also miss out on the joy of sharing Jesus.
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to look at all situations – even the tough ones – as opportunities to express my joy and hope in You.