Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:10-12 (ESV)

Suffering from persecution is a validation of our genuine faith.

The history and experience of the early church show us that spreading the gospel and experiencing persecution go hand in hand. Though many of us have not experienced open persecution, persecution is a harsh reality for many Christian communities around the world. Jesus tells us that the world will hate us because of Him, but we should rejoice rather than be disheartened when we are rebuffed or rejected for the sake of His Name.

Following Jesus doesn’t come with a promise of an easy life. Instead of feeling hopeless and despair, we must learn to experience more of God's joy in our hearts. Our joy is not dependent on our circumstances but on the One who never changes and is always faithful. When we are faced with situations in which we must defend our faith or respond to those who question our faith, we can rely on God to give us the courage and words to speak.

While it may sound contradictory, Jesus reminds us that when we are mistreated or persecuted for His sake, it is to our honour and benefit. In other words, we can rejoice because we have been given the privilege and opportunity to suffer persecution. Expecting and embracing persecution demonstrates our commitment to the Kingdom's life and mission. This is why Jesus exhorts us to suffer for the sake of righteousness because whatever happens to us will advance the gospel and the name of Jesus.

While we can expect persecution, we should also expect God to keep His promise of a reward for those who have suffered for Christ. However, we do not go looking for persecution or desiring to be martyrs. Many times, people reject the gospel not because they believe it is wrong or false, but because of obnoxious behaviour by Christians that undermines the gospel's message. And these Christians would mistake such rejections as persecutions. As Christians, we should try to get along with the people around us. We must all take responsibility for walking circumspectly, redeeming the time, and not allowing the Enemy to hinder our witness.