God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right Matt 5:10

It takes courage to speak up for what is right. 

Jesus was often at the center of controversy. He shattered peoples ideas and traditions, he challenged their lifestyle and told them that they had to begin again. "Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God" John 3:5. Wow that must have hurt those thinking they were on the right track with their religion! Jesus turned their world upside down and they were mad, so mad that they crucified Him. 

And this continues today. There might not be crucifixions but there are certainly those that are put to death for their faith. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right.

Lets look at the definition of persecution: it is a systematic mistreatment of an individual or group by another individual or group. In other words it can be called bullying on a day to day level. God blesses those who are bullied for doing right. How often have you seen that? Persecutors come in all shapes and sizes. They pick on the weak, those that seem different, those that challenge them in certain ways that makes them feel small so they have to do something to make themselves big in the eyes of others. Persecution is about control. When an individual or group feel threatened then they start to bully. 

When a child tries hard at his school work and does well, the student who has not bothered and feels threatened may decide to make the other person the subject of his displeasure. The child has done nothing wrong apart from doing his best. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right. 

A single parent trying to bring up her children on her own on a council estate, attempts to steer her offspring away from the wrong kind of people and she is afraid of the intimidation that is all around her. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right. 

A teacher who stands up for the right to be heard in a classroom of disruptive students who are engaged in wrecking his/her lesson for the other youngsters. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right. 

Each day victories are won on a moment to moment basis. Each day we are blessed when we make a stand for what is right. And it is so important to acknowledge those victories. We may not be persecuted for our faith, or have to cope with terrible situations of life and death in our every day existence, but we can obtain God's blessing if we do what is right, if we live of water and of the Holy Spirit. Because God's promise was as stated above:  "Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God" John 3:5.

God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.