Contemplative Bible Reading

2 Timothy 3:12 (New International Version)

12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

I have been persecuted a lot in my life. It must be because of the godly life I have lived in Christ Jesus.

Really? Probably not.

I have met many mean people in my life. There were the boys in junior high school who would play “flinch” (see below). They seemed to rejoice in punching people; especially people who were smaller than they. Was that religous persecution? Was that just teenage boys being bullies?

I still meet mean people as an adult. They say things about me that aren’t true. I don’t like that; it hurts as much as a punch in the arm. Is this religious persecution? Is this just people being mean?

I cannot point to a time in my life when I was persecuted because of my belief in Jesus Christ. Maybe I am too dense to notice these things, but I doubt it. I have lived a blessed life. Am I fortunate that I haven’t been persecuted?

I know people who believe they have been persecuted because of their religious life. I don’t know about all the cases they recall, but I have been around during some of the cases. I have to disagree with them on those cases. People are often frustrated, angry, tired, and just plain feel bad about themselves. At these times they are mean to others. This isn’t religious persecution; this is life on earth where Satan tugs at people during moments of weakness.

I cannot prove this theory, but I believe in it.

Flinch

“flinch” is a “game” that boys used to play (I hope they don’t still play it). You walk up to someone (it works best when they are much smaller than you), make a fist, and jab at them, stopping short of actually hitting them. If they flinch, which of course they will, you then say, “flinch,” and you get to hit them in the arm as hard as you want.