We should never expect a fair shake, nor whine when it is not given. We are not to play the victim. That is disloyalty to Christ.
Lately I have had to fight my impulse to be discouraged and worried about the future. Recent developments in our culture can be overwhelming. It’s going to be even more of a challenge raising Biblically-grounded children in a society that tells them continually to be their own masters. I wonder how our freedom to dissent according to our religion and conscience might be restricted. How much worse will it get? Am I the only one who’s fighting discouragement? What is happening here?
There’s a simple answer to that question. There’s a simple explanation for why we often feel out-matched and out-maneuvered at every turn, a simple reason why the scoreboard always seems to read the same thing: Lions 10, Christians 0. Listen to Jesus:
A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household. (Matthew 10:24 ff)
Jesus warned us in advance. This is exactly how our Savior was treated, and this is exactly what He said our lot would be.
We should never expect a fair shake, nor whine when it is not given. We are not to play the victim. That is disloyalty to Christ. “Followers of Christ flinch at times from the pain of wounds and the smart of slights,” Os Guinness wrote, “but that cost is in the contract of the way of the cross.... No child of a sovereign God whom we can call our Father is ever a victim or in a minority.”
This is why Jesus finished His comments with, “Therefore, do not fear them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.”
Listen carefully to those last words: “Do not fear them.” Jesus is with us. And He promises a final day of reckoning. As one person put it, “There is a justice, and one day they shall feel it.” But even ultimate victory should not be our concern.
If you want to know how I fight off discouragement, consider these words of Alan Keyes that I have posted in my study: “It is not for us to calculate our victory or fear our defeat, but to do our duty and leave the rest in God’s hands.”
At STR we measure our legitimacy by faithfulness and obedience to Christ, who alone will bring the increase. The most important gauge of our success will not be our numbers or even our impact, but our fidelity to Jesus.
Every day STR stands steadfast, training ambassadors for Christ to go into the field. We show up for the debate, we provide the resources so that you can answer the call.
When the odds are against us, we do not quit or even slow down. We stand firm. We do not fear the opposition, we do not whine, or pout, or play the victim. We take what comes our way, hold our heads high, and stay engaged. Because of Jesus’ promise, we are of good cheer:
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)