The roar of the crowd
Jesus looked at his disciples and said
‘Happy are you poor;
the Kingdom of God is yours!
Happy are you who are hungry now;
you will be filled!
Happy are you who weep now;
you will laugh!
Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and say that you are evil, all because of the Son of Man! Be glad when that happens and dance for joy, because a great reward is kept for you in heaven. For their ancestors did the very same things to the prophets.’ (verses 20-23)
Read Luke 6:20-26
Some of the great heroes for God had miserable lives by our standards. One person who stands out is Mother Teresa. Yet she remained cheerful and thought only of helping those who led a far more miserable life than she did.
There are many other people in the world who are in a similar situation. They suffer great hardships for the sake of the gospel. Many are even persecuted, put in prison, or hunted like criminals.
Jesus knows what people are going through when they suffer for his sake. He told his disciples to be happy when things were against them, because their reward would come in heaven.
We also can take comfort in the promises of God, and we can be happy when we are ridiculed for being a Christian, because our reward is waiting for us too.
Dear God, remember and be with all those who suffer because of their love for you. Help them to find strength and courage m your promise of their reward in heaven. Amen.
Deotion written by Grace Bock in “Guidance for each Day” (LCA Openbook, 2002)
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