In Favor Of Persecution

“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews” (1 Thess. 2:13-14).

Two things about persecution.

1. It's evidence of spiritual health. It’s not obedient for a five year old to eat their favorite dessert and it’s not obedient to share an idea with a like-minded compatriot who you know will agree and may even be slightly impressed. Obedience is learned through friction and persecution is the universal friction for believers, or as was said of Jesus “he learned obedience through what he suffered” (Heb. 5:8). Skye Jatheni says the same thing from the other end: “Jesus shows us that a life with God is one of discipline and development, progress and struggle.”  Paul makes this same point when he says that the thing the Thessalonians had in common with the other churches was that they "suffered the same things." It was one mark of genuine faith that he saw as indisputable. It's the true hero's limp. 2. Persecution is best served from the inside. Royce Gracie turned mixed martial arts on its head by bringing a different fighting style into the ring. Other fighters tended to stand back to duck blows from their opponents, but when Gracie saw a fist coming he would move in to where his opponent’s swing would have less power, and once he was that close he could take them down to the mat. Then, on the inside, he would grapple, twist and choke his opponent into a slow, boring submission. For Gracie, being really close was the way to win. It is also the way persecution happens in America. It's up close where it hurts the most.

That’s what Paul was describing when he said, “For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews.” The Jewish Christians in Judea suffered persecution from their Jewish neighbors just like the Gentile Christians in Thessalonica suffered persecution from their own countrymen - the people they lived with every day. It's not the distant protesting mob that has the most impact. It’s the parent who thinks your faith is a little too intense, the sibling who feels judged by your choices and the old friend who is a bit slower to return your text. 

Here’s the point. For most of us persecution is just subtle enough, just enough inside our small worlds that we can give in without believing we are giving in. It’s easier to remain quiet and not say something that could give us away, make us look narrow or naive, or just a little too religious. I see it in my life and I don’t think I am alone. So what should we do on this Friday? Two things. First, say one thing out loud that exposes you as a committed Christian. Second, consider any resulting loss of reputation or status as evidence of becoming “imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus.”

On Earth As It Is In Heaven…

Adam