As I celebrate this Independence Day, I realize that the original colonies felt persecuted. Today, persecution exists in many manners and forms. No one has an exclusive right to claim persecution because it happens all over the world depending on who has the power. As Christians and United States citizens we have greater responsibility and accountability to address the injustices of our world. Happy Fourth of July! Remember how we got here and why!
Persecution Persecution is hostility Persecution is ill treatment Persecution is unfair treatment Persecution is abusive treatment Any act of ill will Can be persecution Sometimes a bitter pill No real solution Majority or minority Whatever color No authority or absolute authority Few dollars or bunch of dollars Atheism or Christian Does not matter This is not fiction Never ending chapter People will hate People will control People will attack People will kill This is our story Story of humanity Journey of fury And depravity Christians are oppressed In many ways This is not a test For it happens nowadays Christians are called names Christians are beaten Christians are rejected Christians are murdered I live in the USA Things are not like that here Maybe not today But listen and rehear Bad News 2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV) 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 1 John 3:13 (ESV) 13 Do not be surprised, brothers,[a] that the world hates you. Good News 1 Peter 3:14 (ESV) 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, Matthew 5:10 (ESV) 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. But not in my United States Not in my USA city Not with my friends and mates Not in my church committee We are called by Christ To be one body Not cut and sliced And not inferior or shoddy One body as a whole Caring for one another Where I take a stroll Or miles from my sister and brother A Christian persecuted in Louisiana A Christian persecuted in St Louis A Christian persecuted in Facebook A Christian persecuted in the World All the same to our Lord And it should be the same to us We are on the same game board Some castled in blissful snugness Snugness from the action Snugness from the abuses Snugness from murderous fractions Snugness from the bruises The Bible is clear We are part of the One So shed a heartfelt tear For our Savior the Son Do not end now Do not forget Do not isolate Do not think your set Jesus wants us to love He wants us to get along Not be under the thumb of Those strong and wrong Many are harmed Not just us Christian Saints Remember the abused And their complaints Black lives of import And they have a point Not useless chatter An ugly wart Muslims matter too China restricts their birth pace This is more than a few Millions lost without a trace Women are left behind Why does their paycheck lag And the world is blind Do you have to nag Nagged to get your issues addressed Nagged to listen and learn Nagged to help and invest Nagged to make it your turn It is our turn to be accountable To use our capabilities To be countable To end these hostilities Christians have a call To address conflicts No matter how small And no quick fix God wants us to help God wants us to intervene God wants us to have compassion God wants us to act Act in many ways Donate your time Donate your money Donate your prayers God wants you to know God loves everyone Christians must acknowledge We are under the same sun Scriptures for One Body Romans 12:4 (ESV) 4 For as in one body we have many members,[a] and the members do not all have the same function, 1 Corinthians 10:17(ESV) 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 1 Corinthians 12:12 (ESV) One Body with Many Members 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13 (ESV) 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves[a] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:14 (ESV) 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. Ephesians 2:16 (ESV) 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.