Hebrews 11:35-38 speaks of persecution during the first-century church. “There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted, and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.”
Living in America, we are sometimes ridiculed for being a believer, a Jesus follower, but I never hear about Christians in America being ostracized or physically persecuted for their faith in Jesus. However, in many other countries, physical persecution of Christians is alive and real. For instance, during our third church plant, a 15-year-old boy became a Christian. During one of our youth outings at the beach, we noticed cuts and gash scars on his back. We discovered that when he went home after church, his mother would cane him for being at church and saying he was now following Jesus.
Many countries throughout the world do not have religious freedom, and the Christian church and believers are often either ridiculed, ostracized, or physically persecuted. It is estimated that worldwide 365 million Christians face ostracism and persecution, which means that 1 in 7 Christians in the world endure persecution.
We need to cherish the freedom we have as Christians in the United States. But more than that, we should pray daily for those in the world who are ridiculed, ostracized, and physically persecuted.
To learn more about the persecuted, go to https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/stories/10-most-dangerous-places-Christians/