I am a Jesus pusher!!! Jesus concludes the presentation of the Beatitudes with that of persecution. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10). This is the only beatitude to which He gives additional explanation and encouragement. Such a statement raises some real questions. Why am I being persecuted? Do you find the “conflict of the cause” perplexing? Why does someone who lives out the essence of these Beatitudes irritate others? If you are someone who loves and cares, why are you hated? Why is it that people do not like righteousness? Solomon wrote, “And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked” (Proverbs 29:27).
We must understand what is already stated in the previous studies. It is the “consistency of the cause.” The Greek word (dioko) translated “who are persecuted” is in the perfect tense. This tense reflects something happening in the past but reoccurs in the present. In other words, the focus of the statement is not just on a single event of persecution, but also on the continuous element of it. This places persecution in the first Beatitude and carries it through to the last. Persecution is present from start to finish. If one is to endure the consistent conflict of persecution, they must know the One who is greater than the persecution. It is Jesus! Only those who in their helplessness have merged with His greatness will consider persecution a mere irritation in comparison. Jesus is greater than my persecution. I am a Jesus pusher!!!