Moment of Meditation: Persecuted for Righteousness (Matthew 5:10)

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
(Matthew 5:10)

Persecuted for Righteousness

Persecution is not fun. It isn't enjoyable to be ridiculed for your beliefs. In America, we have probably the worst persecution in the world. No. It's not typically physical persecution. It's mental, emotional and psychological persecution.

As with abuse, physical persecution isn't the worst. The physical pain will fade away. The bones will mend. But the mental, emotional and psychological scars never go away. They influence the victim much more deeply than bruises and disfigurements. They go straight to the core of our being.

As the hurt goes to the core, so does God's forgiveness. In fact, it goes so deep that it removes the hurt completely. The persecuted are blessed because they have faith not in this life but in the life to come. A life with no pain. A life with no struggles. A life where all of God's righteousness is praised forever.

The Kingdom of Heaven is yours in Christ. Nothing that happens in this life can shake you from that foundation. Amen.