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Swimming Upstream

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.  2 Timothy 3:12

 

The apostle Paul knew what it meant to be persecuted. A quick survey of Acts reveals that he and his companions encountered opposition almost everywhere they went. His brief notes in 2 Corinthians 11:23-33 catalog an even larger number of persecutions.

Millions of Christians experience this same reality every day. Faithfulness to Christ can mean rejection by their families, loss of their jobs, social ostracism, injustice, violence, even imprisonment or death. We may never meet them this side of eternity, but their commitment and courage should challenge and inspire us all. Pray for them and learn from their example.

We may not face the same situation they do--but every believer knows what it is to swim upstream against the current of an unbelieving world--of the friend or relative who mocks you, the business associate who scorns your integrity, the indifference of those around you to moral and spiritual values. But don't let them sway you. Be faithful to Christ, who, for your sake, "endured the cross, despising the shame" (Hebrews 12:2).

From, HOPE for Each Day: Morning & Evening Devotions, by Billy Graham.