PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS When asked if he would not like to be a Christian a young teenager responded, "Religion for my father was a tradition, for my grandfather an experience, but for me it is a nuisance!" It is sad to say that many people today are not able to communicate their faith as a living vibrant realization to others. We are called to a Christian experi ence in which we are able to pass on to others the evidence that the Gospel does make a difference in everyday living! Jesus tells us, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteous ness' sake: for theirs is the king dom of heaven" (Matthew 5:10). This is a strange paradox. The his tory of the church tells us that many times people who were to be mar tyred for their faith went singing to their death. The reason was one basic fact in that joy is a matter of inner harmony not conditioned by outward circumstances. Even though you may be persecuted, when you know you are at peace with God in doing what is right, you can be calm and at ease in your conscience about it. If you know you are doing God's will you can face whatever may come. All of this comes from obedience to the Word of God. Some people seem to have the impression that talking about obeying the Scrip tures sounds like "works of right eousness." The poet has rightly said, "/ cannot work my soul to save, For that my Lord has done, But then I'll work like any slave For love of God's own Son." Page 33
problem. Usually when there is tension between persons it is not so much that the issue needs to be answered exactly as much as it is to know that they are accepted and respected. All of us have psy chological hungers. I would call upon you to be a peacemaker in your home between you and your companion, between you and your children. And then beyond, with your neighbors and in the com munity share Christ's peace until it spreads around the world so that others may say of believers, "Be hold, how they love one another." Then they will want to know the Christ who frees us from our sel fish tendencies making us the kind of gracious people whom they can
Made with FlippingBook Online document