One of my favorite movies is National Treasure with Nicholas Cage and Justin Bartha. Most people have probably seen it, but for those of you who haven't....National Treasure is about a man named Ben Gates (Cage) who has been told pretty much from infancy about the great treasure of the Free Masons that had been collected from various kingdoms and empires over the centuries. However, because the Free Masons didn't want the treasure falling into the wrong hands and being used for the wrong purposes, they hid the treasure away and left clues that would lead those who knew what they were looking for to the treasure. The secrets of the treasure and the clues that would lead to it had become Gates' Family lore by the time Ben was able to begin his search. Passed from generation to generation, some of the Gates family men had tried and failed to find the treasure and had given up on it. Ben's own father, Patrick, thought his pursuit of the treasure crazy and it had caused a divide in their relationship. But despite all of the people who told him it wasn't possible, that the treasure didn't exist, that he was wasting his life, Ben kept believing and kept pursuing the treasure and, in the end, *spoiler alert* he found it and it was beyond anything he'd ever imagined it being.
Ben stuck to his convictions, even when his convictions and beliefs went against the popular opinion. Because he believed the treasure was real and wanted to be the one to find it, he risked everything including his relationships and his life. There were times when the evidence and logical facts were against him, there were times when he was faced with the choice of going against the government because of what he knew to be right. (Please note, I'm not saying that we should go steal the Declaration of Independence...or engage in general lawlessness) There were even times when he would get discouraged and doubted the existence of the treasure himself, but in the end, when the treasure was revealed, it was greater than he had ever hoped, imagined, or dreamed it could be. Moreover, those who had doubted, those who had told him he was nuts, crazy for believing and wasting his life with this treasure hunt, were eating their words.
This reminds me of what its like to be a Christian in today's world. We have knowledge of the greatest treasure ever, the most important gift that anyone could ever receive we know about it. Yet, when we try to tell others about it or try to live out our faith many people tell us how insane we are. There are lots of people who try to come up with different logics and facts trying to explain away faith and that make it seem like we're crazy. Sometimes instead of protecting our rights our own government ends up taking away our rights to express our faith in Christ freely. And unfortunately, there are even times when people who are in our own Christian family that tear us down rather than building us up.
When we're constantly surrounded by naysayers, constantly having to fight against popular opinion, constantly being told that we're crazy, wrong, stupid, narrow-minded, etc. it can become difficult to stay the course. Like Ben in National Treasure when he continued to meet nothing but obstacles he began to get discouraged and started questioning his own quest for the treasure. But what we need to remember is that when we encounter the bumps along the road, bumps like difficult co-workers, children who stray from what they've been taught, friends who don't want to listen to us and make fun of our faith, when our government makes policies and laws that go against what the Bible teaches, whenever we encounter these bumps we need to turn to the One who can make the road smooth.
Jesus is always there, He is always watching the steps His children make. No matter if we're paying attention to Him or not. Jesus wants you to turn to Him to reach out and say, "HELP!!". When you face the times of discouragement, persecution, doubt, think about the promises that He has given you. Think about all the times Jesus has come through for you. If you focus your thoughts on how He sees you then the way the world sees you won't matter. Remember, if you are a child of God He sees you as loved, beautiful, redeemed, royalty!
Final Thoughts:
I know from experience it's not always easy to live out my faith. Granted, I haven't come up against the same kinds of persecution that some Christians experience in other countries. However, in America persecution has different forms. Here we mostly experience social persecution. People who think we're crazy, they'll ostracize us, they'll throw sarcastic comments our way, etc. Things like that may not seem like a lot, however, over time, they do begin to wear and can really hurt. But one thing I've come to realize is that it doesn't matter what they say, Jesus is still Jesus. He loves me and He is taking care of me. Now I'm not saying that I don't get discouraged or that I don't find myself running in circles for a while trying to fix my problems on my own before I turn to Jesus. What I am saying is, we have the ultimate safe place to turn to, Jesus is the best shelter that we could ever find. So when the storms come and the power of public opinion is against you, turn to Jesus. Tell Him about it. He will give you the strength you need to make it through. And in the end, just like Ben Gates, you'll discover a treasure that's worth more than you could ever imagine. Also, like Ben, surround yourself with friends who will encourage you when the discouragements come. You need people around you who will urge you on when you feel like giving up.
[ The Armor of God ] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Ephesians 6:10-11 NIV
You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
11-12 “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
Matthew 5:10-12 (MSG)
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