WHO ARE THE PERSECUTED?
Blessed are the persecuted.
That’s us, right? (Or at least us in the broad sense. I make zero claims of suffering persecution in my comfy American lifestyle.) Yet whenever I think of persecution, I always side with the persecuted, not the persecutors.
- But are we ever on the other side of persecution?
- Do we ever make others suffer?
- Do we ever treat people wrongly because their beliefs (or race/politics/orientation/fill in the blank) differ from ours?
Can we also be persecutors?
It depends.
DEFINE PERSECUTION
What exactly is persecution anyway?
Technically, it’s from a Latin word, persecut, meaning “followed with hostility.” In the Hebrew, David used persecuted as radaph, meaning “to run after, usually with hostile intent” (Psalm 119:150). When Jesus said, “Blessed are you when others persecute you” (Matthew 5:11), the Greek word is dioko, meaning “to pursue, to make to run away.”
So, if we’re doing these things, we might be counted as persecutors . . .
- Treat others with hostility
- Pursue others in a troubling manner
- Drive others away unfairly
BUT REALLY, WHO ARE THE PERSECUTORS?
But we’re not beheading believers, like we’ve seen in the Middle East. We use only words to induce inferiority and inadequacy (and underneath our words, maybe a lot of judgmental thoughts).
We don’t inhumanely disown family members if they become “heretics.” We only stop talking to and/or inviting them to Thanksgiving dinner, assuming our reward/punishment system is for their own good and will change their behaviors.
We don’t torture another person because they refuse to agree we’re right. We only sarcastically chuckle about their silly views (and graciously, might not even mention them by name!) in our Facebook updates among our like-minded friends or over lunch with our Christian friends.
Does this mean we’re “better than” because we’re not as bad as we could be? Does God grade self-righteousness and spiritual pride on a curve?
We know the answer: No.
4 THINGS FOR PERSECUTORS TO DO
What do we want for those who persecute others? Perhaps we should ask for the same things ourselves.
- Admit it
Recognizing when we are wrong is the first step toward change. Let’s consider who we may be hurting and pushing away with our words and actions, either actively or passively. - Ask for forgiveness
If we’ve caused someone to suffer because they offended us or disagreed with us, let’s seek forgiveness from God and the other person. Let’s actually say the words, “I was wrong. Will you forgive me?” - Stop doing it
But true repentance means not only saying we’re sorry for the direction we were going, but turning things around and believing/behaving differently. With God’s help, let’s transform our thinking and doing into the way Christ would think and do, loving as He would love. - Receive grace
Even while on the cross, Jesus was forgiving those who were killing Him. That forgiveness includes us, too. His love exceeds all expectations. We please Him when we receive His gift of grace, and when we stop persecuting even ourselves for our own past (and future) failures.
We’re better ministers of the gospel when we forgive more and punish less. When we drop the Us vs. Them mentality. Let God redeem as He chooses.
Jesus wanted even the persecuted to be loved (Matthew 5:44). I’m glad. Because those who persecute others don’t always live on the other side of the ocean. Or believe a different world religion than us. Or stand on the other side of “that” issue.
Sometimes they live inside our own churches, our own homes, and even our own hearts.
Yes, Jesus, we pray for those persecute You. Even when it’s us.
Have you ever experienced any form of persecution?
Or dished it out yourself, even in small ways?
Please share in the comments.
Wonderful post, Lisa. I must admit, I have been both the persecuted & the persecutor. May we all become better at extending grace for having received His grace. Blessings!
Unfortunately I’ve been on both sides of this too, Joanne. But yes, so thankful that God’s grace works both ways too. What we receive we can send back out. We are blessed.
Lisa, have you read “Why We Eat our Own” by Michael Cheshire? While not entirely about persecution, per se, it does address the tendency we have to be less than forgiving of those who’ve made mistakes (and/or think differently than we do).
Yes, Karen, I have read Cheshire’s book and really appreciated it! If the world is to know us by our love, we still have some work to do. Hope to see you soon to sing together!
I recently learned I was the persecutor to someone; I drove her away unfairly. Although it was totally unintentional and without malice, my heart still breaks. I’m trying to forgive myself, accept God’s grace, and move forward in wisdom learned by mistakes. I pray she’ll be willing to move closer again… Thank you for this post today, Lisa.
I appreciate you sharing this, Susan. I’m sure we’ve all done that at times (and perhaps sometimes even intentionally). You are wise to not beat yourself up about it but instead to accept grace and pray for this person’s healing. God is powerful enough to do it!
Yes, and in our pride and conceit we crucify Jesus all over again, every day.
The Blood that drips down…we drew it, and it’s saved us, nonetheless.
Agree, Andrew. The miracle of all miracles–the love in that blood. You state it beautifully.
Such a heart-searching and necessary article, Lisa. “Sometimes they live inside our own churches, our own homes, and even our own hearts.” So very true, sad to say. Thank you, Lisa, for this insightful post. Blessings and hugs!
I appreciate your encouragement, Trudy. It was a little hard to write because I don’t like thinking of myself or fellow Christians as perpetrators of pain. But we often are. Better to own up to it so we can stop, right? May the Lord continue to be gracious with us as He opens our eyes a bit at a time to our own faults.
This touches and leaves one such as I to ponder my part in the persecutor role. Of course, I would like to say I am not that, but I have been in the off-hand and under-the-table sort of ways. But just today, I found myself forgiving those who were the pilots of the planes on 9/11/2011 and their trainers. My own hatred of them must go for it only hurts me now. I don’t want to live with that for the rest of my life.
Thank you, Lisa, for a most eye-opening as well as a heart-opening post. How often we forget that we can be just what we call others.
Yes, I have been persecuted also for my belief in Jesus…by one of my own blood sisters, but I found that forgiving her was my best option and over about three years, she came back to be able to talk to and with me. It is a surface relationship, but we talk. She actually asked me to pray for someone recently. We never know how God is working on their hearts when we look like Jesus to them.
Caring through Christ, ~ linda
Oh, Linda. Beautiful. 1—That you even thought about and then did forgive the pilots AND their trainers. That leaves me speechless. 2—That you’ve so patiently kept the door open with your sister for reconciliation. I’m glad God is honoring that—her asking you for prayer sounds like a wonderful step! You continue to inspire me with your faithfulness to being more and more transformed into the image of Christ.
Thank you for writing truthful words for me to consider, words not to be read once and left behind, but to be considered often.
You’re welcome, Natalie. I think we all often find ourselves guilty of thinking too highly of ourselves and too low of other. :( But there by the grace of God go I.
I’ve never thought of the tables being turned like that. It really makes me stop and think seriously, I’m sure I’ve been guilty of that before.
Yeah, it’s not the way we typically think of it. But especially we who have it so good in America need to think more about that end of it too. I can’t even imagine what all you’ve seen in Ukraine on the receiving side of persecution. Thanks for dropping in, Caleb.