Craig Clouston

 Angry Blessings

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:10

Walking through the mall, the kids were passing out gospel literature, inviting everyone they encountered to join them for worship. Many took a moment to look at the material they had received, saying thank you. Some were noncommittal, and a few just snatched it from the youth, proceeding on, locked in their private worlds.

Then one man made a scene. After receiving the leaflet, he’d continued for a few strides when the message of the material hit him. Turning on his heel and hollering in a loud voice, he returned to the young man who’d given him the tract. He was clearly trying to make a scene. “Take this mindless propaganda back! I couldn’t care less about your church and its services! You have no right to pass this religious junk out in a public place! Why, I’m gonna get security and have you thrown outta here!” With that, he spun around, looking anxiously for someone in authority.

The young man was undaunted. He’d heard this type of social speak before. “Don’t infringe on my rights. There’s supposed to be separation of church and state!”

You scream about your rights being violated, the young man thought, but you don’t seem to have any problem trying to violate mine, he thought.

†

We can be sincere and be sincerely wrong. Screaming the loudest doesn’t automatically make someone right. As our Constitution dictates, living in a free world society gives us inherent rights. We may not agree with other people’s choices, but we cannot attack them because we don’t agree with them or share their ideologies.

We can, however, hold up and hold tight to our rights as children of God. Our God-given rights are immutable; no one can argue them away. They are ours to stand on for eternity. So when people holler or scream that we have offended them because of our beliefs, we have a right to stand our ground against intolerance.

Prayer

“Thank You, Lord, for rights that cannot be taken away. Help me make a difference in this world for You. Don’t let me be beaten down or discouraged by a world that chooses to deny Your existence. Help me exhibit Your love and mercy. In Jesus Name, amen.”