BIBLE READING: Leviticus 14; Mathew 26: 57-75.
“Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands” – Mathew 26:67 (KJV).
Mockery and ridicule are part of the things we face as a result of our faith in Jesus. Anyone who is not prepared to be mocked and to be ridiculed for God and his kingdom is not ready for kingdom life and service. Friends, colleagues and the world will mock you to make you believe that you have made a wrong decision by following Christ. They will ridicule you to make you begin to feel inferior to unbelievers as if Christianity is a disadvantage or for those who don’t have sense.
Our master and Lord was mocked and ridicule and he also warned that following him will bring ridicule and mockery. The world will want to make you look stupid or try to make you believe that the Christian faith is old school or obsolete. Friends and colleagues will mock at you for carrying the bible or for identifying with believers. How did the apostles handle these mockers? They went home rejoicing that they are counted worthy to suffer shame for the sake of Christ and the gospel. The scriptures did not put us in the dark concerning these mockers: “How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lust” – Jude 18 (KJV).
Sometimes, weak believers get discouraged by these mockeries and ridicule and they will begin to fall from faith. See Apostle Paul’s reaction.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. For it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth: to the Jew, first and also to the Greek” -Romans 1:16 (KJV). There is nothing to be ashamed of in the gospel. The Christian life is the most noble course to take. Jesus said that anyone that will be ashamed of him before men, he will be ashamed of the person before his father in heaven and that whoever will boldly identify with him and proclaim him before the world, he will boldly declare the person before his father in heaven.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to boldly declare you before the world.
Rev. Vincent Diolu