“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.” Matt. 5:10-12

I’ve always had a vague sense I might be persecuted for my faith. I assumed it would come from an outside enemy of Christianity. Now I’m rethinking that. In the countries listed below, the persecutors of Christians are their own governments.

1. North Korea, where owning a Bible can get you killed.
2. Somalia, where following Jesus makes you the enemy.
3. Libya, where evangelism is a death sentence.
4. Eritrea, where imprisonment for following Jesus is inevitable.
5. Yemen, where Christians are on extremists’ wanted lists.
6. Nigeria, where a Christian dies nearly every two hours on average.
7. Pakistan, where every Christian is a second-class citizen.
8. Sudan, where Christians are caught in the crossfire.
9. Iran, where being a Christian is a “crime against national security.”
10. Afghanistan, where there “are no Christians.”
~www.opendoorsus.org

​Three things come to mind when I think of persecution.

1. I have no words when it comes to those being martyred. “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” Romans 8:26
2. Open Doors is a really great organization when it comes to supporting the persecuted.
3. Persecution starts with false accusations and insults. We’re all vulnerable if a power decides they don’t like us…or want to blame us.

Matthew 5:12 ends Jesus’s Beatitudes. Interesting word, beatitudes. It means “a state of supreme happiness.”

I have much growing to do.