We have it so easy today.  We American Christians will meet in our air-conditioned building, sit in our comfy pews and sing “Tempted and Tried” about how bad things are but the Lord will get us through it all.

We think we have it hard because some don’t like our commitment to the Bible. We think we’re persecuted because spirituality isn’t welcome much in society anymore.

I wonder how many of my brothers and sisters would have endured the hardships of the late first century. I wonder if I could have.

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Revelation 2:10

I’ve yet to be thrown in jail for being a Christian. I’ve yet to face death for my faith. I pray I never do. I don’t seek out persecution. That would be arrogant. I don’t seek out badges of honor to wear with pride. Should I be persecuted, I pray I have the faith to endure it, but the odds are I will not have to suffer the way my brethren did 2,000 years ago. They truly faced the hardships that come with the Christian life.

And how did they respond? They were faithful, even to the point of their death.

In a word, they were “loyal.”

They were loyal to their Master Who had freed them from Satan’s shackles; Loyal to their King Whom they had the honor of serving; Loyal to their God Who made them in His image.

I wonder how Christ feels about me, sitting in my comfortable office chair, typing on my fancy computer, writing about the sufferings of others. I hope, when He looks into my heart, He sees a person willing to suffer for Him, even if circumstances have (thankfully) not given me the opportunity to do so. I hope that should such a situation arise, that I would–like the early Christians–count myself blessed to have the privilege to suffer for Him (Acts 5:41).

My Master doesn’t ask me to go looking for a fight. He just asks me to be loyal to Him should a fight come to me.

I pray that I will be.

What about you?