Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute 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 they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
These two verses seems to expand upon the last, explaining the treatment that a believer can expect from this world: angry, cutting words, persecution, and false testimony.
As one step: Matthew 5:9 explains, the persecution mentioned comes from living as ones made right by God, not by obnoxious or wrong behavior. In fact, the language used here, “falsely on my account” reminds us that the evil spoken against the believer should not be based on truth.
A brother or sister in Christ pointing out wrong in my life is not persecution. Even if an unbeliever points out wrong in my life, they are not speaking evil of me falsely. They may be speaking evil of me, but it might be from a place of truth; It might not be on the account of Christ but on account of my own failings.
This passage presents a challenge to reflect on my own life. Am I living a life above approach? Am I living as one made righteous in Christ, or am I hiding my faults to appear this way?
If I can say honestly that the angry, evil, persecuting words and actions of this world are false and are because of Christ and no other reason, then I can rejoice and be glad. Why? Because the overflow of blessing from God awaits me in heaven and I stand in good company. The prophets were treated this way, and so was Christ.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to live true. Perhaps God is asking you to lay down the false Christian life and to actually live life above reproach as an overflow of the righteousness given to you. Maybe God is inviting you to see the hardship of today through the lens of eternity. Perhaps God wants you to hear His words: you are not alone.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a step today… just one is fine.
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*Leon, Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew. Pillar New Testament Commentary (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1992), 102-103, and Keener, C. S., Matthew (Vol. 1, Mt 5:3–9) (InterVarsity Press, 1997).