This world is not our home. If you are a Christian, you belong to Christ and will live eternity in Heaven. While we are here, though, Jesus tells us to be like Him so others will believe. It is a difficult at times to live among the natives knowing that they are against us. Natives have their own mind-set. They believe in primitive ways, they don’t care about others as much as they do their selves. We struggle with it ourselves. Paul tells us “for I know good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out” (Romans 7:18). God knows we struggle living here, in fact, Jesus struggled while He was here. There are natives who will hate you for no reason, get you fired from a job, start rumors and persecute you in front of others, and make your life miserable. That’s their plan, purpose and goal in life. Natives don’t like foreigners on their territory. They are not welcoming. Once we understand they hate us and don’t want us here, we can gain a better understanding of how to deal with them. Jesus tells us we will be persecuted, but He also encourages us several times to remain steadfast. “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). “In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know” (1 Thessalonians 3:4). “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown” (Revelation 2:10). Being a follower of Christ is not for wimps and the faint of heart. It takes courage, guts, perseverance and strong will to keep fighting day after day. Romans 8:31 “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Don’t give in to the natives. Stay strong in numbers and with the Lord.
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