Matthew 5:11-12

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

I think this verse is often misquoted. Sometimes we just don’t behave with the right heart motivation. It is also no reason to be smug in our opinion that we are right and forget to consider how we can reach the person insulting us with the gospel. 

The key words are ‘because of me’. We are only blessed if the slights and hurts against us are because we are behaving in accordance with how Jesus would deal with a situation. Very rarely in the tolerant or apathetic western world do we experience real persecution for our faith in Jesus. I often wonder how I might react in the face of death for believing that Christ died to save me; then remember that I would not be alone in that situation but have the Holy Spirit to intercede and sustain me through it. This gives me peace and the desire to consider others’ points of view. 

Thank and praise God that you don’t have to fight for or even defend the gospel; you just have to stand firm in the assurance that you have eternal salvation in Him; that will speak volumes. Listen and meditate on the song ‘Blessed Assurance’ (found on the Living Church website under Songs we Sing). 

Sandra Hinrichsen