⁴ “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. ⁵ But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear.

Luke 12:4-5

Dear God, I am always puzzled when Christians complain about persecution–especially American Christians who truly have no idea what real persecution is. Jesus never once says we will be saved from persecution. In fact, all of his closest disciples except Judas (suicide) and John were martyred for their faith, and even John was persecuted and exiled. I think I’ve read that even Matthias, Peter’s replacement for Judas, was eventually martyred. So why do we think we should be any different?

The question is, how should I meet this persecution? I think it’s with love. Always with love. And that has been hard for me at times. Not that I’ve been persecuted for my faith. I haven’t. I live in an area that culturally rewards faith. But when I’ve been wronged or attacked for a controversial position I hold or from conflicts I’ve had with others based on my own principles versus their principles, I haven’t always responded with love. I’ve been judgmental, not curious. I’ve been disparaging of them. I’m sorry. Give me awareness when I’m doing this and fill me with compassion for them.

But back to Christian persecution, in my area I can’t help but wonder if it isn’t Christians who are doing their own share of persecuting others. Canceling people. Protesting. Shaming. I even go back to the opening ceremony of the Olympics and the representation of the Feast of Dionysus and/or The Last Supper they displayed. If it was, indeed, The Last Summer, what would the world have thought if the church had said, “While it possibly might have been intended to offend or mock, it is just another reminder to us of our Lord’s last meal with his disciples, how he prayed for all of us to be one as he and the Father are one, and then gave everything for us the next day. I hope that anyone involved with that knows how much God loves them and did everything for them.”

Father, I’m going to go back to Paul’s words in Acts 20:24: “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” That’s it and that’s all. My life is worth nothing to me. Help me to finish this race well regardless of the consequences for myself.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen