Something to Sing About

If there ever was a reason to breakout into song… It’s while being persecuted?

Looking into verses 10 and 11 of Matthew 5, we are told to rejoice in the midst of persecution. Now, this is not just any persecution. It’s not like when I joke with Nick about his v-necks or when someone kindly points out that I can’t see my shoes. We are talking about real persecution, the kind that causes you to run for your life. In fact that’s what the word is really coming from. It points to a person who is being chased or pursued by an enemy who intends on making you suffer.

I have never been in a situation where I was actually running for my life. I am not sure that many people in our American culture understand that, especially when coupled with the idea that this persecution is because of one’s faith. Nevertheless, the verse is not lost to us. We too face persecution, though predominantly in the social realm. We are outcast by society for being ignorant, closed minded, boring, self-righteous, and the list can go on.

So what are we to do when ousted from our comfortable social bubble? Rejoice!

And this is not just any rejoicing; this is a knee-slapping, song-singing, I just won the lottery without buying a ticket, screaming, jumping, don’t-care-if-you’re-Baptist dancing, exuberance.  Some translations say be glad, or exceedingly glad. But it’s not just put a big smile on your face, it really has more of a celebratory nature to it. Here’s some Greek for you:

 ἀγαλλιάω (agalliaō 21)

1. rejoice -ed, -eth, -ing

to leap or dance much, to rejoice with song and dance; hence, to exult, leap for joy.

2. joy (with exceeding)

to rejoice exceedingly, especially, with song and dance.

Why do we rejoice like this? Because, we’ve taken a stand for the Glory of God and He will reward us. We become like one of the prophets, unafraid to speak the truth in the darkness, even if it makes us unpopular, even if it means we’ll be shunned, even if it means we’ll be fired, even if it means we will die.  Our concern is not for our small time here on this earth, but for the eternal. We have declared that whatever sufferings may come, our hearts are fixed on the eternal weight of glory beyond compare that Paul mentions in                2^nd Corinthians chapter 4.

We rejoice because if even for only a moment our lusts for this world were overtaken by our devotion to the Loving King and we stood for more than our selfish desires. We stood for Jesus. We stood to exalt the only one worthy of devotion.