March 25 – Shine Like Cities on a Hill
Matthew 5:10-12: 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
The trails from smoking guns is still rising, precious lives lost through senseless violence, lynched, beaten to death. Persecution in the 21st century is increasing, whereas we thought civilized sophisticated humans would know better. Surprisingly today, I learn that many highly educated people are filled with hatred for people of another religion and are on the mission of ethnic cleansing. They don’t care how they do it. Now, how do we cope when persecution strikes?
Here are a few things to remember: 1. A morally corrupt world system hates anything good. The heart of the matter lies in power and control. People want to subdue others, so that they become more powerful and are insecure if another community seems to be rising in some way. Fear makes them attack and even kill. 2. The blessing comes when we remain in God, in spite of the persecution. 3. People who love the darkness hate the Light because it challenges their belief system. As your values manifest, the people around you start polarizing towards persecution or conversion.
This is how you should handle this: 1. Prayer, meditation on the Word gives strength. Pray for your protection. Sometimes we feel we are not spiritual if we pray for our protection and chide people that they should be willing to die. Practically speaking, even the early disciples prayed for each other and their protection. The church prayed hard for Peter in prison and the angels brought him out miraculously. God can do miracles! 2. Pray for your enemies, pray their blindness will be removed, caste out any hatred and the forces operating behind them. 3. Pray for your healing if you have been wounded by the persecutors. The Bible says, rejoice when they persecute you. Well, only the Holy Spirit can release that joy, Verse 11: “Blessed [fortunate] are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad.”
Plato said, “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.”
You would have to walk in the glory realm close to Christ to get that kind of joy. It is not easy and perhaps one would need to pray for that release of joy or start by praising Him by faith and not feelings. May God bless and help you if you are being persecuted. Once you are in that realm, you automatically will emit light like cities on a hill.
Rita.
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