To start this off and bring up a past post: live like someone died for you! The reason we so often ignore this message in our lives is because we don't want to acknowledge the way He wants us to live for Him. There can be much mistreatment in this world for Christians who speak out, but that doesn't always imply persecution. Persecution means that there is attack/response/mistreatment/abuse for a righteous act when following Jesus rather than following the world. This does not include things like disrespecting/disputing/vehemently-defending-against/taking-action-over other beliefs/worldly things that don't line up with God's commandments--if you are reprimanded for that, it's not because you were following what Christ taught, but simply because you probably deserved it! In John 15, Jesus tells of how we are persecuted because we do not belong to this world.
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends....If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ~John 15:13, 19
Consider what your life would look like if you were living worthy of persecution. It wouldn't be easy. If, however, you are indeed living for the one who died for you, it all comes down to how much you love Jesus. Love obeys, and Jesus commanded us to go, to be lights in a broken world. That takes determination. I challenge us all to live so ardently for Christ that people take notice.
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. ~1 Peter 2:12
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