Countryside Christian Church
He told me I could tell you, but he wanted to be left anonymous. We will call him José. The weight of it all seemed unbearable. He felt as if darkness were creeping in from his periphery, his breath was short, and his chest felt heavy. His fingers tingled, tears welled up in his eyes, he doubted his own ability, and he wanted to run away. Was it a heart attack? Not exactly. Was it a stroke? No, but it seemed it could be debilitating. Was his blood pressure dangerously high? Maybe, but it was only a symptom to a greater problem. He wondered when this feeling would pass. He wondered if there would ever be a time that this did not affect him anymore.
His mind raced back to his childhood. The words of his teacher echoed through his ears, “Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can never hurt you.” If this was true, then why did he feel the way he did? What had happened was more than mere words. They attacked his character and were rubbing salt in his wounds. He stood up for what he believed to be the truth. He stood up for what he thought was right. He tried to be compassionate, loyal, understanding, diligent, and upright. He tried to do the right thing no matter the cost; he just did not realize the cost would sting so deep. People had turned on him, spread lies, and slandered his name. He entrusted them with the most important details of his life, and he regretted it.
Are you looking for the rest of the story? Are you wondering what happened, or who “they” are? Then look around. I think there is a piece of José’s story in all of us. Have you ever tried to do what was right only to have it blow up in your face? Have you ever spoken the truth only to have someone twist your words into lies? Have you ever taken a stand for Jesus just to be mocked or ridiculed? Throughout this world Christian’s are losing their jobs, their homes, their possessions, their families, and even their lives for simply saying, “I follow Jesus.” It is bitter to think about. I have often said that we are blessed here in the United States because we do not have to endure the persecution that Christians in other countries are faced with. I am thankful I have never been beaten, held at gunpoint, or had my livelihood threatened because I follow Jesus.
While I am thankful, I am not so ignorant to think that people are not mistreated in our country for professing faith in Christ. Consider these words of Jesus to his disciples, “What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way” (Luke 6:22-23 NLT). José was hated, excluded, and mocked. No one touched him or took any material possessions, but he was persecuted for being righteous. They turned on him for standing up for the principles that Jesus taught.
José found freedom when he realized that he will receive blessings in heaven that outweigh any difficulty he faces in this life now. They can be cruel, hateful, and even murderous with their words, but these wounds would heal. When doing the right thing seems to be more of a burden than it is worth, step back and look at the big picture. The burden is nothing compared to the blessings of eternity. When we leap for joy in the face of hate, we send a powerful message to those who witness our plight. We encourage the distraught, are a sign of hope to the broken, and glorify God by showing that our faith and trust are in Him.
One of God’s many ministers,
Jim Hawkes, knight in rusty armor, hated, mocked, excluded, blessed!