“You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.” -Hebrews 10:34

I talk a fair bit about giving things away, living simply, sacrificially giving and living in a way so that others needs are met. I’m no where near the place I would like to be in that endeavor but I hope that I am making strides. However, verses like this spur me on and point out how far I have to go in my effort to follow Christ.

I’ve had a number of things stolen from me in my life (mainly bikes) and I must say, that for me, there is a marked difference between my stuff being stolen and me freely giving it to someone. Much of that difference is in my attitude about the situation and what my focus is on. I’m fascinated by the attitude and focus of the Hebrews written about above, who joyfully accepted losing their stuff. I am amazed by what a testimony that is to where their treasure and joy lies, even now reading it 2000 years later, I can’t imagine the testimony that must have been to those taking their property and others watching their decisions to choose love, community and fellowship over worldly possessions.

When I really start to reflect on this stuff, the persecution that they endured, the persecution people endure today (The Heavenly Man), and the lack of persecution I feel I’m encountered with in my surroundings, I’ve recognized something about it. I think I’ve tended to think in very pure terms about the persecution of the early church. I have a tendency to think that the persecution they received was very clearly because they where following Jesus:

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”

However, I don’t think it was always as pure a case as we tend to think of it as. Jesus wasn’t crucified because he was the messiah and the Roman’s knew they had to fulfill the Scripture, he was killed for creating political unrest. The disciples likewise probably did not simply experience persecution because they choose to claim themselves as Christians, but also because of the actions and life choices that their following Christ lead them to.

I say all this to simply just acknowledge that I have a long way to go to be in a place where I can follow Christ to the degree that I’m willing for it to result in people taking my stuff and me being joyful about it. And I’m not at the point yet where I clearly understand that choices I make to follow Christ might result in persecution that might not have anything to do explicitly with what religious allegiances I have.

(for some reason I don’t think a lot of this made much sense. Oh well.)