“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
(Matthew 10:16-23 ESV)
Of all the promises in scripture, one of our least favorite is the promise of persecution for our faith. Sometimes we can get a self-righteous attitude about it that makes us feel vindicated, but it really is no "fun." But it is an opportunity for us to see what God will do through it. He may put us in places where we can speak up and make Him known, or He may make it an opportunity for us to "move on down the road" to see if there are seekers who want to hear about Him. In either case, what matters is that we stay faithful to Him. He is the Constant in whatever may come our way. He will see us through.
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