Matthew 5:10-12  It has taken Jesus one sentence to list each of the character traits of a kingdom citizen.. until now.  This last one takes a bit more. "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."  It is the same promise as the first- " blessed are the poor in spirit".. there is a relationship there. To me, it emphasizes the whole purpose of our lives.. it is all about the Kingdom!

Jesus goes on to say, "Blessed are you even men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me." 

Persecuted for righteousness sake - persecuted because of Christ.  There is a profound truth here.  Jesus goes on to say, "Rejoice, and be glad for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets before you."  

Persecution in the Bible takes many forms. The Greek word (dioko) means "to flee, to pursue, press forward."  The Hebrew word (radaph) is similar - "to run after, chase, put to flight, follow, hunt." There is hostility... a bent to cause suffering in one who is a persecutor.  Persecution may be verbal - insults thrown at you.. or it can be physical.. even to death.  Hebrews 11:36-38 gives a clear picture ".. and others experienced mocking and scourging, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated ( men of whom the whole world was not worthy) wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground."  All because of their faith.. faith in God's promises.. faith in Jesus Christ. 

Jesus made it clear to His disciples that they would be persecuted, just like He would.  Peter and James both wrote about the suffering of persecution.. teaching that we should rejoice in these trials "knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.."( James 1:3) and that "the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (  I Peter 1:6-7)  Paul wrote "Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not." ( Romans 12:14) Which takes us right back to being merciful.. (Matthew 5:7) In this we can be assured that there is a holy purpose that God desires and allows.. that is accomplished by persecution. 

So, what can we glean from this? Our hunger for righteousness, once satisfied by faith in Jesus Christ.. will bring an outside pressure .. persecution.. upon us. Not all of us will face a sword or prison or even insults.. but we all know the pressure applied by the world around us.. to conform to its ways.  And the more we resist.. the more we are "transformed by the renewing of [our] minds"  and do what is acceptable in God's sight instead of in man's.. the more pressure we will know. 

Father in heaven, we desire to live for You.. to continue to walk in Your ways and do Your good will.  Help us to not only resist the pressures of the world.. but to rejoice for we have Your promise of the kingdom of heaven.  Set our eyes on the things unseen.. the things above.  Keep us steadfast in Christ and fill us with Your love for even those who persecute us because of Jesus.  We surrender all to You and give You praise and glory and honor. Amen.