Do Good to Those Who Oppose You

In Luke 6:27-29 it says, “Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also.” (NLT)

What I’m learning is that when I’m persecuted, harassed, or facing opposition, I need to respond with a blessing.

Jesus says in Luke 6:27-29, “Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also” (NLT).

Who does that? Not many people, actually. But that kind of response is what sets Christ followers apart—because it’s not natural, popular, or easy.

It takes a lot of courage to do those things! Anyone can retaliate or say something mean. But it takes a lot of courage to respond with a blessing.

God wants me to love my enemies, do good to those who hate me, bless those who curse me, pray for those who hurt me, and turn the other cheek. Is that easy? No. But it’s the most powerful form of witness—and I can do it only by being filled with God’s love.

The movie The Butler shows how the Freedom Riders, who fought racism in the South during the Civil Rights Movement, trained people how to not retaliate when they were hit, spit on, cursed, or pushed, or when people threw food at them. It’s an intensely powerful scene of taking a nonviolent stance.

When I refuse to retaliate and instead respond in love at work or with somebody who doesn’t like me, God will be pleased. And I’m going to be blessed.

Jesus said, “God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven” (Matthew 5:10-12 NLT).

Jesus paid a price for me. And he says there’s a price to be paid for following him. As a Christ follower, popularity on Earth is not a guarantee—but my reward in heaven is a guarantee. 

Focus on the Future to Get Through Temporary Troubles

In review of Matthew 5:11-12 Jesus tells me, “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.”

(NIV)

Jesus tells me to be happy when I'm persecuted for my faith. Persecution can be good because (1) it takes my eyes off earthly rewards, (2) it strips away superficial belief, (3) it strengthens my faith when I endure, and (4) my attitude through it serves as an example to others who follow. I can be comforted by knowing that God's greatest prophets were also persecuted. The very fact that I am being persecuted proves that I have been faithful; as a faithless person would go unnoticed. In the future God will reward my faithfulness by receiving me into his Kingdom, where there is no more persecution.

As I follow Jesus, I will face trouble. It’s guaranteed! I’ll be harassed, persecuted, rejected, and ridiculed because of my faith.

But that’s not the end of the story. The Bible says that Jesus endured the torture of the cross “for the joy set before him” (Hebrews 12:2 NIV).

I, too, must focus on my future reward if I want to get through my temporary troubles.

At the end of history and this life. Everyone will one day kneel before Jesus Christ. Everyone will say, “Jesus is Lord.” Some will praise him because they’ve done so all their lives. Others will praise him in judgment to themselves because they’ve denied him all their lives.

Every professor who ridiculed you because of your faith and every person who tried to convince me to abandon my faith will one day praise Jesus. Every entertainer who made a mockery of God’s name and every politician who opposed his ways will praise him (Philippians 2:9-11).

Everyone will one day bow before Jesus. At that time God will also reward me for staying true to him despite the harassment and criticism I faced for my faith.

Jesus said, “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” (Matthew 5:11-12 NIV).

Whenever I face persecution, I’m in the same category as Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Moses.

Just like those great prophets of old, I’ll one day experience an eternity with God, full of unimaginable joy. The harassment, persecution, rejection, and ridicule I may face now for Jesus’ sake won’t compare to the reward of eternity with God.

Therefore I put my hope in this truth so that when life gets tough, I can endure.

In summary, I'll be blessed when I’m insulted, persecuted and falsely speak evil against me because of my belief. When this happens, I can rejoice and be glad, because great will be my reward in heaven. When persecuted, (1) it takes my eyes off earthly rewards, (2) it strips away superficial belief, (3) it strengthens my faith as I endure, and (4) my attitude through it serves as an example to others. The very fact that I am being persecuted proves that I have been faithful; as a faithless person would go unnoticed. I will face trouble. It’s guaranteed! I’ll be harassed, persecuted, rejected, and ridiculed because of my faith. Jesus endured the torture of the cross “for the joy set before him” So I need to focus on my future reward if I want to get through my temporary troubles. God will also reward me for staying true to him despite the harassment and criticism I faced for my faith. I'll one day experience an eternity with God, full of unimaginable joy. Therefore I put my hope in this truth so that when life gets tough, I can endure.

I don’t face the same kind of physical persecution that those at the time of this writing were experiencing. My persecution comes more superficially, as I’m ridiculed, viewed as not cool and thought stupid for my belief and my faith. It’s ok to let being cool go. Instead of being in the background going unnoticed, it’s ok to let others know what I believe and have faith in. 

I pray this morning Father that with the help of the Holy Spirit, that I recognize the times where I would rather go unnoticed about my faith, that instead I embrace it and know what benefits I will and others will gain. While yesterday’s problem at work was not fun, and I felt pressure and disappointment from others in leadership, that you have a purpose in it. I ask you today for wisdom and guidance for my day, my activities, my leadership and my interaction with others. I pray this through your Son Jesus name, Amen.

Handling Persecution

In review of Matthew 5:10 it says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Bottom Line:

Blessing will come from you being persecuted for doing right, for you’ll receive the kingdom of Heaven.

What this means to me:

God will bless me when I’m treated badly and persecuted for doing right, for I’ll receive the Kingdom of Heaven.

Today's verse comes from the first part of Matthew 5 in a section referred to as the "Beatitudes". In it Matthew quotes Jesus from his sermon on the mount. Jesus is telling the crowds the type of attitudes that God want us to take on. He tells us that there are blessings for those who are poor and realize their need for him, who mourn, who are humble, who hunger for justice, who are merciful, whose hearts are pure, who work for peace, and who are persecuted for doing right. Jesus tells us that God will bless you when people mock and persecute you, lie about you, and say all sorts of evil things against you because we follow him. When this persecution happens, we can be happy, for a great reward awaits us in heaven.

This verse reminds me that God will compensate me when people oppose me for doing right. He can bless me so that the situation that is used to intimidate me, I now master. I should not allow other’s opinions or cruelties to define me. Instead I should allow God’s promises to show me exactly who I am through His eyes.

The question is, am I ready for all this goodness? God won’t give me something great until I am desperate to have His very best. Can God trust me with His favor? Am I trying to do everything on my own, keeping God on a shelf for a special occasion?

Other people may often envy the demonstration of God’s favor in my life, so I shouldn’t be deterred by their criticism. Instead I can lift my head and square my shoulders. I can smile. This in of itself will make those who oppose me crazy.

I can clap my hands and shout for joy. I am favored by the living God, and the Kingdom of heaven is mine.