Daily Delight
"...and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name." -Acts 5:40-41 (ESV)
During my time in the Word a few mornings ago, I came across verse Acts 5:40-41. The words stunned me. The apostles of Christ in the early church rejoiced in the fact that they experienced dishonor for the name of Jesus. They did not simply ‘endure’ dishonor; they rejoiced in it!If I’m honest, I do not rejoice when someone criticizes me for my Christian beliefs. I tend to take it as an accusation. I allow myself to get embarrassed or hurt. Sometimes I do not speak up about Christ at all because I hate to be criticized. I especially don’t like stirring up conflict!However, the apostles’ response is exactly the opposite of my natural inclination. It challenged me. What if I started viewing the world’s dishonor as something worth rejoicing over?Jesus, of course, offers the best example. He experienced the ultimate dishonor from the world when He died on the cross. He was mocked, beaten, and humiliated. But because of His willingness to take on the world’s dishonor for our sake, we can rejoice -- through Him, we have access to the incredible gift of salvation!Friends, experiencing dishonor from the world helps us become more like Jesus. Each day we have an opportunity to accept dishonor with humility, just like Jesus did. And we can, like the apostles, rejoice in the truth that we have been counted worthy to experience dishonor for the sake of Christ. It is a privilege, not a disgrace.As Christians, our concern should not be about the dishonor that man (the world) places on us. In eternity, man’s approval is of no consequence. Instead, our focus should be on pleasing God and God alone. It is His honor that we seek. When the world dishonors us, rejoice! It is truly amazing that we have been “counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name” (Acts 5:41, ESV).
About the Author
Kirsten Fernandes
