Luke 6:22-26 NIV “Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets. “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.” https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.6.22-26.NIV
What do you think of President Trump? He is indeed a polarizing figure. Why is that? Some hate his policies, but most chafe at his rhetoric. It is the way he says things that bother so many, even among those who agree with his policies. His character, too, is a source of contention among many. What does this have to do with our reading today? Thinking of Donald and his disregard for the opinions of the media is how Christians should think of the criticisms of others as they relate to our faith. We should not attack our critics the way the President attacks some in the media. We should also stop cowering before the critical opinion of the pagans in our society. Jesus was constantly in controversy with the religious leaders who denied His claims of Messiah. They were aggressively antagonistic toward Jesus and His ministry. This did not deter Jesus. The Christian must likewise be undeterred in sharing Jesus with people and insisting upon His righteous ways in society. Christians should be unapologetically pro-life, pro-marriage between one man and one woman, pro-advocates of two separate but equal genders, male and female only, and other Biblical values that the pagans despise. The gospel is controversial. God’s ways cause us to chafe when we want to do, feel, speak, or believe something else. Like the President, Jesus invites us to welcome the persecution of the pagans and warns us against trying to please them by becoming like them. Unlike the President, Jesus commands us to pray for those who persecute us, to do good to those who hate us, and to forgive those who harm us just as God forgives us for all our sins. The President is a good example of what it means to stand up and stand out for what he believes is true, regardless of the opinion of others. While Christians should stand up and stand out far differently than the President, they must do so if they want to show themselves to be loyal and faithful to Jesus, who requires such behavior from His disciples.
