04-13-24-ENG.

“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Matthew 5:11–12
The last kingdom value given to us in the Sermon on the Mount isn’t one that we often post on social media. It’s not one we frame and hang on our wall, either. It’s a hard one to wrap our minds around sometimes, especially in a culture and world that promote personal happiness in the present moment. This kingdom value might even make most of us nervous just by reading it. Jesus didn’t mince His words when He gave it to us, either. So the best way to approach it is to embrace it. The final kingdom value we are to live out is told to us like this: “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).

Now, if that didn’t scare you off enough to close this devotional—or to turn and walk away if you were one of those gathered by the Sea of Galilee that day—Jesus takes a moment to emphasize this again in the following two verses, which are listed as our daily Scripture reading. All the other kingdom values are delivered in one succinct sentence. But this one gets a double punch. Jesus continues, just in case anyone missed what He said. He wanted us to truly grasp this. But notice that this double-punch kingdom value also comes with a double blessing. Every other value gives you one blessing, but this one doubles the fun. Jesus reminds His listeners that you are doubly blessed when you are persecuted, insulted, and maligned for the sake of righteousness and His kingdom. But even though He says it clearly and says it twice, it still seems to be incongruent because we don’t normally associate a blessing with hardship and persecution. We don’t naturally connect these things.

When we dig deeper into the meaning of the term used here for persecution in the Greek language, it makes it even more difficult to see the connection. The literal translation means “to be harassed.” It refers to being treated in an evil, negative manner. This can include insults, abuse, vicious speech, and even false accusations. Just writing those things down makes me wince. It probably does the same for you when you read them. None of us enjoys being bullied. None of us volunteers for harassment. But Jesus concludes His emphasis on kingdom values by saying we are blessed for being bullied for righteousness’ sake. Keep in mind, He doesn’t say you and I are blessed for being bullied for any reason.

The blessing is tied to the “why” behind it. This blessing is given to those who are persecuted or harassed for the sake of His name, His righteousness, or His kingdom agenda. This type of persecution comes about when you are choosing to do or say the right thing for righteous reasons, and you face a fallout for your choice. Facing persecution because you are living out the values of the kingdom of God and you are associated with Jesus Christ is when you can expect a blessing. 

Reaction:
Why is it important to understand this kingdom value even though it may make us feel uncomfortable? What does being “persecuted for righteousness” mean to you personally? What is one way to overcome any hesitation you may have toward living out this kingdom value? 

Prayer:
Jesus, enable me to see the big picture when things don’t go well. Show me how to look for the blessing when I’m facing various trials related to living for Your kingdom. I want to praise You even in the midst of the difficult seasons of life. In Your name I pray, amen.