worth it?

Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown, O LORD, throughout all ages. For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants. 

Psalm 135:13-14

As hard as it is to always see the truth of the promise in verse fourteen, I accept it. The reality is that God's people are often maligned and hated for only the reason that they love God and show it to the world. And the promise here is that they will be vindicated despite this.

God's servants are often misunderstood. In some parts of the world they are put in prison or killed. And yet the promise is that God will have compassion upon them. I know firsthand that a big price of God's service is being judged and misunderstood unfairly. It is expected that this would occur from those who are outside the church. It hurts most when it is mainly experienced inside the church. Strangely enough, there are times when I have felt more respect as a pastor from unbelievers than from some believers.

Yet the gospel and God's greatness is worth that kind of sacrifice and pain. It compels believers to obey and trust God in a greater way. God is bigger than our limited experiences. His compassion will vindicate His people, His promises, and His person.