SO persecuted

This is Paul writing in his second letter to the followers of Jesus in Corinth...



2 Corinthians 6

23 We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, 

and no one will find fault with our ministry.

4 In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. 

We patiently endure troubles 

and hardships 

and calamities 

of every kind.

5 We have been beaten, 

been put in prison, 

faced angry mobs, 

worked to exhaustion, 

endured sleepless nights, 

and gone without food.

6 We prove ourselves by our purity, 

our understanding, 

our patience, 

our kindness, 

by the Holy Spirit within us, 

and by our sincere love.

7 We faithfully preach the truth. 

God's power is working in us. 

We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense.

8 We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, 

whether they slander us or praise us. 

We are honest, 

but they call us impostors.

9 We are ignored, 

even though we are well known. 

We live close to death, 

but we are still alive. 

We have been beaten, 

but we have not been killed.

10 Our hearts ache, 

but we always have joy. 

We are poor, 

but we give spiritual riches to others. 

We own nothing, 

and yet we have everything.



This passage makes me chuckle.

Here's why...

It seems one of the favorite martyr-esque themes among white American evangelicals is how persecuted they are.

(Is "martyr-esque" a word? ;-) lol)

Whenever I hear that sentiment by my uber-privileged brothers & sisters, I think of the passages Paul wrote like this one.

Now THAT is persecution.


I wonder how many of us in America would be such ardent Christians if we had to endure one tenth of the turmoil Paul described & endured in this passage?


I think we all know the answer to that question...