I Accepted Christ: Now What?Mostră

Facing Opposition

The kids in my class had a hard time concentrating on workbook assignments, and you could always count on a few mischievous ones to ruin it for the rest of us.

“Look at me when I’m talking to you!” the teacher shouted.

I looked up from my work to see who the troublemaker was this time, but I couldn’t spot anyone. It wasn’t until the teacher walked up to my desk that I realized what was happening. She thought I was the troublemaker!

I tried to explain my innocence, but the more I protested, the angrier she got. Before I knew it, I was on my way to the principal’s office to explain my “bad” behavior.

No one likes getting in trouble for doing the right thing. Our sense of justice demands the bad get punished, and the good get rewarded. As a follower of Jesus, it’s natural to assume we’ll spend a lot less time in the principal’s office than the next guy. Sure, we still make mistakes, but we’re actively trying to live God’s way. It should count for something, shouldn’t it?

That’s why Jesus’ words are so shocking. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life, yet He was punished. He said, “‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”

Following Jesus has certain benefits, but it can also cause us to lose relationships, jobs, freedom, and, in some places, our lives. It is not something we do because we want an easy and blessed life. We do it because His word is true.

What has your faith in Jesus cost you?

Do people know you are Christian?