Recent news from Europe indicates a rise in anti-Jewish sentiment. It seems that throughout their history the Jews have been a persecuted people. The Jews that lived in Russia and Europe were periodically persecuted. It culminated in the Holocaust when millions were killed. It makes you wonder why? I am not an expert on the subject but it seems to me that they were a minority that stood out as different from the culture around them. They retained much of their culture that was different from the culture they lived in. Their food was different. Their social practices were different. Their religious practices were different and at times they spoke a different language. They were different.
When scapegoats were needed they were readily identifiable and available. The next step, they became victims and were persecuted.
It happens in our schools all the time. If a child is different and stands out, they are often “picked” on or bullied. That seems to be a part of human nature. When refugees or immigrants come to our country they often find themselves in that situation. The children quickly learn to adapt and fit into their new culture so that they will not become targets.
Jesus was very clear in telling his followers that they would be targeted and persecuted. John15:18 – 21 NIV “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.”
Matthew 24:9 – 10 NIV “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other.” It is not “IF” you are persecuted but “when”.
That is only a few of the verses that warned Followers of Jesus that they would be persecuted. History has proved his words true. Today in many parts of the world Followers of Jesus are persecuted. They suffer economic persecution, abuse, prison even death.
Yet in America, we do not. We seem to be in a protective bubble. Protected. Is it because our faith is stronger? Are we special?
Is it possible there might be another reason?
As I mentioned, people are often persecuted because they stand out as different from their culture. They just don’t seem to fit in. They make easy scapegoats and victims.
2 Corinthians 3:18 says “And we all, …. are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” This reminds us that we, as followers of Jesus should be becoming less like our culture and more like Jesus. We exhibit the characteristics of the Kingdom more than the characteristics of our culture. We should stand out as different. WOW! Are we becoming more like Jesus? That is pretty radical. They persecuted and killed Jesus because he came with a different morality, a different set of standards, a different kind of religion and a different way to relate to God. Radical.
In Romans 12:2, Paul reminds us “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”
Maybe the reason that we in America are not persecuted is that we fit in too well? We have tamed Christianity so that it is no longer radical. We have blended into the culture and adopted its ways so much that we no longer are different and do not stand out. We are no longer being transformed into his image. We have become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it. We are just one of the crowd. It is the culture that shapes us, not Jesus! We are not different.
Certainly, a person with the Spirit of Jesus living in them should stand out from people who do not have his presence.
What about your life makes you different from your neighbors? Is it just that you attend church? Most of Jesus’ culture attended worship. Most followed the Law. It was the religious rule-following people who led the persecution against Jesus.