Standing Up to Persecution

Proverbs 26:2

Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.

I don't know how many of you are faced with this on a regular basis, but it does happen.  When people get very angry at God and His servants, they can go on extended tangents of cursing.  They curse God, His people (Christians), and anything else that they associate with God.  Thankfully, God gives us this promise, which is illustrated through the prophet Balaam:

Numbers 23:8

How can I curse those whom God has not cursed?  How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?

Deuteronomy 23:5

However, the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you.

Thankfully, as Christians, when someone curses us because of their hatred for the Lord we can rest assured that it will not come to rest on us.  God loves us.  He is constantly looking out for us, and when need be, He fights for us.  When someone curses us because of God we need to guard against being drawn into an argument.  We simply need to rebuke that person.  

If he repents, forgive him and share the message of God's saving gospel with him.

If he persists, rebuke him again and then turn him over to he Lord.  

If someone is cursing you because of your faith, they are really not cursing you.  They are trying to curse God.  That is why it is not our place to punish that person.  God is the judge of all.

Romans 12:14,17-19

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil.  Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is Mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.

Finally, I will leave you with the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount, where He assures us that we are blessed if we are insulted and persecuted because of Him.

Matthew 5:10-12

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
(note:  Jesus segues from this into being the "salt and light" of the world.)

May the Lord give you the strength and the wisdom to stand, in faith, in the face of all persecutions!

God bless

Jason Fredrick