The Cost Life

Living out your faith will cost you something, and Jesus makes that clear in the final Beatitude found in Matthew 5. The Beatitudes are not eight disconnected teachings but one unified portrait of what it looks like to follow Jesus, and persecution is where that portrait leads. Everyday persecution may not look like imprisonment. It can look like being left out at work, losing a friendship, or being misunderstood by family. The cost will look different for every person, but the call to faithfulness never changes. And while rejection genuinely hurts, Jesus reminds His followers that a great reward awaits, and that the temporary sacrifices of this life are worth it. The kingdom of God will always have a cost, but it will always be worth it.