Acts 8:3-4
As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.

What was it about this church movement that raised people’s emotions to such extremes? Those who opposed it did so vehemently, going so far as to imprison and kill those who stood for it. Those who supported it went forth boldly, proclaiming the Word of God in the midst of persecution, knowing they themselves could be imprisoned or killed for that very act. Saul was defending Judaism even as the early church defended Christianity. But at the heart of both was Jesus Himself.

Jesus was gone, and still His followers continued to grow in faith, strength, and number. His teachings offended those who refused to confront their own sinfulness and relieved those who saw their need for a Savior. The hard-hearted remained critical, condemning and attacking those who accepted Christ. The tenderhearted received the free gift of grace and wanted others to experience that same precious gift. And as the opposition kept marching closer, intensifying their efforts, the faithful refused to back down.

This same conflict exists today. There will always be those who stand for God’s truth and those who stand against it. There will always be those who seek to destroy all that is righteous and those who refuse to be intimidated into silence when God’s Word needs to be proclaimed. Many areas of the world today actively live out similar scenes as those in the Book of Acts—believers being imprisoned, persecuted and killed for their faith in Christ, hunted down like criminals by those opposed to the truth of His love and grace.

And though we may not face persecution in our lives to this same degree, there are still anti-Christian forces working all around us. Our society rises up in its collective sinfulness to oppose all that we stand for as Christians. God’s Word is mocked and considered nothing more than a fairy tale by those who refuse its teachings. Anything with even a hint of Christian principle is attacked mercilessly by a godless world. And in this kind of environment, we have to make a choice: Will we allow anything to stop us from proclaiming God’s Word in our lives, words, and actions? Will we stand for our faith, for our Lord, in the face of active persecution?

We all deal with many different people on a daily basis, from family members and co-workers to strangers in stores and restaurants. And some of those people may oppose us for our faith in Christ. Let’s not let others ruin our testimony for Jesus. Let’s not let opposition prevent us from doing what we know is right to do, what God has called us to do. Let’s not flinch in the face of adversity, but continue on steadfastly, knowing God is on our side.