11 January 2017
What’s Your Conviction Worth?
Psalm 188:5-6
In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?
The person who lives with conviction will be persecuted. Period.
There is no genetic marker for a Christian. People have the opportunity to be made right with God simply by what they believe. (See Romans 3:22) No specimens under a microscope will confirm this. But the scientists from ancestry.com can pinpoint the location of my ancestors if I send them a DNA sample.
For example, people who are of Jewish descent can be identified by their DNA, and they can also choose to practice the Jewish religion. So, there can be a Jewish person who isn’t a practicing Jew. Likewise, a non-Jewish person can practice the Jewish faith, but that won’t make them Jewish when they send in their DNA to ancestry.com no matter how much they appreciate and identify with the Jewish religion and culture. All races are confirmed in this way with a seal of authenticity within our own DNA regardless of how we see ourselves. Anyone, regardless of their ancestry can practice any religion or ideology; it doesn’t originate in our DNA.
The gay community, for example, seems to feel like they should be exempt from the persecution that accompanies living under personal conviction. There is no “get out of persecution free card” for the person living under their convictions. None. Christians and conservatives certainly aren’t exempt from being marginalized, so why do other groups think they can live with their beliefs scot-free?
When my sister and I were in school people knew we were Christians, and we were teased for it. We were called “Goodie Goodies” and stuff like that. Do you know why? There’s a COST to living how you believe, and the price we paid was being teased and left out of some social circles. There are plenty of Believers being overlooked for promotions in the workplace because they don’t party or cheat. As a Christian and a conservative working in the public school system for 12 years, I certainly can identify with personal cost in such a god mocking, liberal environment.
If the gay community is just as convinced about their convictions as I am about mine, then they’re going to pay a price too. We all do. Don’t whine; just live. No one needs to endorse you. You will be persecuted for your lifestyle choices same as everyone else; get over it. Your options are the same as mine: Practice your beliefs openly or keep it to yourself. The gay couple who feels they do not get the same considerations as a regular couple needs to know that is the price they may pay for living out their beliefs. I know there is a cost to living out mine.
Thankfully, God promises to be with those who fear him. What can mere people do to me? So Believers don’t live in fear of rejection or persecution; we boldly live with conviction. It doesn’t matter what the cost is for following Jesus; it’s worth it to us. What can mere people do to me?
What’s your conviction worth to you?
Dear God,
Thank you for being with me. Thank you for protecting me and always providing for me even when I’ve been marginalized, misrepresented, or misunderstood. Thank you that mere people and their words and techniques have no power over you. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
What’s Your Conviction Worth?
Psalm 188:5-6
In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?
The person who lives with conviction will be persecuted. Period.
There is no genetic marker for a Christian. People have the opportunity to be made right with God simply by what they believe. (See Romans 3:22) No specimens under a microscope will confirm this. But the scientists from ancestry.com can pinpoint the location of my ancestors if I send them a DNA sample.
For example, people who are of Jewish descent can be identified by their DNA, and they can also choose to practice the Jewish religion. So, there can be a Jewish person who isn’t a practicing Jew. Likewise, a non-Jewish person can practice the Jewish faith, but that won’t make them Jewish when they send in their DNA to ancestry.com no matter how much they appreciate and identify with the Jewish religion and culture. All races are confirmed in this way with a seal of authenticity within our own DNA regardless of how we see ourselves. Anyone, regardless of their ancestry can practice any religion or ideology; it doesn’t originate in our DNA.
The gay community, for example, seems to feel like they should be exempt from the persecution that accompanies living under personal conviction. There is no “get out of persecution free card” for the person living under their convictions. None. Christians and conservatives certainly aren’t exempt from being marginalized, so why do other groups think they can live with their beliefs scot-free?
When my sister and I were in school people knew we were Christians, and we were teased for it. We were called “Goodie Goodies” and stuff like that. Do you know why? There’s a COST to living how you believe, and the price we paid was being teased and left out of some social circles. There are plenty of Believers being overlooked for promotions in the workplace because they don’t party or cheat. As a Christian and a conservative working in the public school system for 12 years, I certainly can identify with personal cost in such a god mocking, liberal environment.
If the gay community is just as convinced about their convictions as I am about mine, then they’re going to pay a price too. We all do. Don’t whine; just live. No one needs to endorse you. You will be persecuted for your lifestyle choices same as everyone else; get over it. Your options are the same as mine: Practice your beliefs openly or keep it to yourself. The gay couple who feels they do not get the same considerations as a regular couple needs to know that is the price they may pay for living out their beliefs. I know there is a cost to living out mine.
Thankfully, God promises to be with those who fear him. What can mere people do to me? So Believers don’t live in fear of rejection or persecution; we boldly live with conviction. It doesn’t matter what the cost is for following Jesus; it’s worth it to us. What can mere people do to me?
What’s your conviction worth to you?
Dear God,
Thank you for being with me. Thank you for protecting me and always providing for me even when I’ve been marginalized, misrepresented, or misunderstood. Thank you that mere people and their words and techniques have no power over you. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
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