As anyone can tell, from watching the news and keeping up with the current events or talking and socializing with other people, Christianity is deeply frowned upon all over the world in today’s culture. Christians today are made fun of, called out on, and can be hurt or even killed, just because of their religious beliefs. It can be difficult for Christian people to want to share the love of Christ with others, especially those who seem to never take what they have to say seriously, those who always have a cruel word or negative or taunting attitude towards the Christian faith but our job as children of God is to tell others of Jesus Christ, regardless of how other people may feel, say, do, or think about it.

Last fall, for the very first time in my entire life, I found myself being persecuted for standing firm in my Christian beliefs. I was a shy, timid little freshman at Lindsey Wilson College, and quite honestly, I wasn’t used to anyone having different beliefs than myself. I am a native of south-central Kentucky, in the ‘buckle of the bible belt’, so to speak, so naturally I was used to only interacting with fellow Christian people. I don’t mean to sound rude when I say this, that isn’t my intention at all. I know that there are many people in the world who have different beliefs regarding what they choose their religious views to be, and I support that wholeheartedly. However, what happened to me on this particular day was something much, much different than that. I was sitting in my Christian Beliefs class (who would’ve thought, huh?), trying to calmly pay attention to the professor’s lecture that day. A requirement that the professor had for the class as that all of his students participate in his class discussions, and I had finally mustered up the courage to speak up in class. I had merely gotten 3 words of my opinion out of my mouth when at least 5 other students in the class immediately began to shoot my efforts down and belittle me for stating my Christianity. I was angry, heartbroken, and afraid. I felt like I was 3 feet tall. I had heard of other people getting persecuted and made fun of for being Christians, but I never dreamed that it would happen to me. At that time, I didn’t know what to do.

John 15:18-25 says, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 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. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.” We all know, that as amazing and as wonderful of a man as he was, Jesus Christ was severely disliked by some people on earth, even to the point where they would put him to death on the cross, a punishment that he definitely didn’t deserve. And if the bible tells us that we need to act more and more like Christ all the time, then we should expect to be disliked by people in this world, as well. If the fear of how others will portray us is standing between ourselves and acting in a Christian like manner for God at all times, then we are not doing our jobs right as Children of the King. That is as simple as it can get. I take so much comfort in that verse; I now realize that it doesn’t matter one single bit what the world thinks of you, as long as you are acting like a true Christian and are living for God, then you are in good shape.

Romans 12:2 says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” The world is full of temptations, there is no denying it. And even the best of Christians can find themselves falling into those temptations, which are what I like to think of Satan’s traps that he has laid out, just waiting for one of God’s children to unknowingly walk into. We are not perfect, nobody is. And God knows that that’s why he gives us the opportunity of salvation. And let me tell you, that is one amazing thing to have. On a sadder note, it seems that in today’s world, if you do not think or act like the rest of the world, as Romans 12:2 says, you will be frowned down upon. That is a very sad thing, but it occurs every single day. However, when we receive salvation and accept Christ in our lives, our lives change for the better, and we are to no longer care what the rest of the world thinks of our actions. After all, whom is more important to live for? Christ, or the rest of this sin-filled world? 1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” I think that young people, especially teenagers and young adults, struggle with living a Christian life and acting how Christ would want them to. At that age, we tend to feel the need to be accepted by others, and we all know that Christians are rarely ever socially accepted, especially in today’s time. But if we as young people make it our goal to live a Godly life, we can possibly inspire other young people, some of whom may be lost in their faith and not know Christ, to find salvation and transform their lives for God.

Especially in the middle-eastern countries, Christians are getting persecuted in the most terrible ways imaginable. In fact, according to CNN news, 2015 saw the record-high for Christian persecution in the middle east, with over 7,100 Christians being killed for “faith-related reasons.” That number had grown by 3,000 since 2014. There is no doubt in my mind that those 7,100 people who were killed for terrible reasons on earth are now rejoicing in heaven with their father, of whom they had spent their life on earth living for. That, my friends, is the kind of Christians that we need to be. As difficult as that can be, we need to be able to say, at the very last few moments of our lives, that we stand firm in Christ and have the salvation that we need to spend eternity in heaven. What the world thinks of us as Christians should be the very last thing on our minds. After all, what is going to matter more at the end of the day, what the world thinks of us, or what Christ thinks of us?

• 2 Timothy 3:12 says, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
  
  
• 1 Peter 3:17 says, “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.”
  
  
• 1 Peter 4:19 says, “Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”
  
  
• Matthew 5:11 says, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”
  
  
• 1 Peter 4:14 says, “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”