“When ridiculed, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we respond gently. We have become like the world’s rubbish, the scum of all, to this very moment.” 1 Corinthians 4:12-13
Persecution of Christians was rampant in St. Paul's day. He himself was a persecutor of Christians before he became a Christian. He was held on house arrest for two years, stoned and beaten up several times, jailed, and on June 29, 67 A.D., he paid the ultimate price for his faith in Christ. He was beheaded outside the walls of Rome.
We may not feel it much here in the Philippines, although priests, the Pope and even God are insulted by the highest official in the land, but persecution of Christians is so severe in many parts of the world. In North Korea, Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, Iran, Nigeria, and many more countries, Christian churches are being burned to the ground, homes destroyed, people beheaded for their beliefs. 80 % of religious intolerance in the world is directed against Christians according to the study conducted by the Intl. Society for Human Rights. In Mexico, drug cartels murdered 23 Christian leaders for standing up against them. Christian Coptic women were kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam, sold as slaves and abused in Egypt.
So much hatred! There are organizations dedicated to eradicating Christianity that they are willing to kill young children or train them to kill. The goal of the Boko Haram in Nigeria is to stop Christian and Western education in their country and they have kidnapped several hundred girls from schools. The list goes on and on. Millions and millions of Christians worldwide experience high to severe persecution.
How about us? Are we willing to spread God’s Word openly as Jesus instructed His disciples to do? “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation,” He said. It’s certainly easier to do it now, with our cellphones, and gadgets. We do not have to stand at street corners, or pay for expensive air time, to be able to invite our friends to join a virtual prayer meeting or a Christian seminar. These days, there are so many people who need to know God and His love. Let us encourage them, pray for them, and love them.
It is terrible to think of the onslaught of persecution so many are facing. We deal with it in North America, but to a lesser degree. Yet, we are told to love those who persecute us and pray for them. I like your suggestion that sharing the gospel has never been easier. We need to use our voices while we can. Jesus said, “Work while it is light, for a time is coming when no one can work.” Lovely painting. God bless you.
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