Blessed are you when men hate you…
Blessed are you when men hate you…
Luke 6:22 A personal story of persecution, from both the sides of the persecutor and the person being persecuted
Image created by Dall-E 3
“Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.”
Luke 6:22 NASB1995
Today we have a short verse taken from the Beatitudes. Barb examined the Sermon on the Mount, which of course includes the Beatitudes, in her excellent series that began on June 11, 2022. It’s highly recommended if you want a refresher on this important sermon Jesus preached to a large crowd, and especially if you want to know more about the Beatitudes — the “Blessed Are” statements made by Jesus.
I am sorry to say that I have been on both sides of this Beatitude. During my years of unbelief, I was quite obnoxious to Christians of all denominations. I insulted street corner preachers in downtown Denver, rolled my eyes noticeably when someone told me they were born again, and thought it was a good idea when atheist groups tried to stop the nativity display each year at the City and County Building.
Boy, have I changed.
Now I’ve had to put up with seeing anti-Christian Facebook posts from alleged friends who know that I am a devout Christian, and endure amazingly hostile commentary from blatant anti-Christian activists on X (formerly Twitter®) as I scroll through posts from people that I follow.
I have asked God for forgiveness for my stupidity in my younger years, and I have definitely repented from persecuting others. I still shake my head, knowing that I was in jeopardy of an eternity separated from God all those years. My only solace is knowing that I was actually blessing those people I despised!
The stoning of Stephen, artist unknown.
In the time of Jesus’s ministry, those who were hated, ostracized, insulted, and called evil were Jews who were being excommunicated from the faith for following Jesus. The Greek word translated here as “ostracized” is ἀφορίζω (aphorizō), defined as “to exclude as disreputable.” Following Christ, learning His teachings, and joining the early church were all grounds for separation from the synagogue at the minimum, and being stoned for blasphemy at the worst.
In today’s increasingly secular world, the signs are all there that it won’t be long until persecution moves from hostile comments on social media to physical attacks or even governmental bans. As this begins to unfold, we can all take comfort in that we have the blessing of our Savior.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Lord, help me to be a person who extends your blessings to others, both in my casual encounters with other people and with those whom I share my faith. Please help me to continue to bless others even when they attack me for my faith, and to make me live my life in such a way to reflect the grace and character of my Savior, Jesus, in whose name I pray. AMEN.