Life Down Under

Bearing the Stigma

I've been thinking today about the words of Jesus in Matthew 10, "You will be hated by all for My name's sake." What a sobering wake-up call to the reality that the church in the last days will be living in. I don't think any of us really have a grid for just how un-politically-correct the church will be in that hour of history, and how un-popular we will be with not only the world, but also with those professing to be followers of Jesus, but who really aren't. Ouch. I mean, in some circles, it's a bit "extreme" now to take a stand for the basic 101 Christianity of the Bible. (You know, the Matthew 5, 6, and 7 stuff). And the consequences for such an unpopular stance today are barely more than a wee bit of social sigma or rejection. (Although take heart. The religious leaders of the day called John the Baptist demonized and Jesus a glutton and a drunkard. At least we are in good company). But what's going to happen when the issues we take a stand for are way more controversial than anything we've seen yet? Like the judgments of God breaking into planet earth? (Or the mere reality that there is a God, and we love His Son, Jesus). And the consequences for doing so are way more intense than they are now? (Like along the lines of death or imprisonment.) I mean, this takes any controversy, any misunderstanding, any false accusation that we may have experienced, and puts a "times 1,000" next to it, and then multiplied about another thousand times after that. And this is what we've signed up for.

Is it just me, or is that a bit sobering?