You Used To Know Very Well


Jesus said in Matthew 5:10-12, "Blessed (Happy) are those who are persecuted for righteusness sake, for their's is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed (Happy) are you when men revile you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you." The context indicates that this reviling would come from unbelievers, but I believe that no injustice is done to the passage if a similar application be made when brethren do the same. For as long as I have been a member of the church, we have been called narrow minded because of our stance on matters of truth, and issues of morality and conduct. When we stood firm on such matters as social drinking, and preachers stood unashamed in our pulpits decrying the evils of such behavior, the world distained such a stand as narrow minded. While others deplored as petty our scriptural stand on immodesty and semi-nudity, we stood alone to say and demonstra
te that it did matter. Because our children were not allowed to participate in worldly or questionable activities, we were belittled and laughed at for being fanatics. In school young brothers and sisters were ridiculed becuase they refused to put school activities before their Christian duty. At home their young brothers and sisters applauded their courage, and learned from their example. Admittedly, such an attitude was not displayed by every boy and girl, nor insisted upon by every parent, yet, I know that such unpopular attitudes were the rule rather than the exception. It would appear now, that such a posture is thought by many Christians to be untenable. Meanwhile those who remain committed to such values are now understood by many, both in and out of the church, as narrow minded and or unresponsive to their children's desires. Understanding which is a right and true life style for Christians is not here under consideration. These things have been discussed both publicly and privately; from the
pulpit, in tracts, in bulletins, in Bible study, and on the radio. What is under consideration is our reaction to such attitudes among brethren. It hurts when your child comes home crying because someone made fun-of their modest dress,--even more so when such ridicule comes from fellow Bible Class students. It hurts when a boy or girl have so few of the same mind from which to choose best-friends, or with which to share growing-up. It hurts when you want to offer an alternative to the lust of the flesh, and there's no one to invite because they're all at the dance. Still we cannot allow this hurt and frustration to permeate our lives, and the lives of our children, but must remember the words of Jesus, "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven."

Warren L. Price
Taken from the
Paden City Messenger


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