Can you imagine being persecuted for your faith and belief in these modern times?  It happened to Christians in Gojra Pakistan in 2009.  Please read the incredible My Take: Looking for faith amid persecution story by Vivian Padilla-Chapman at CNN that details the incident and her feelings about it.

Per Matthew 5:11, Jesus said “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”  But, I think it is more than that.  People persecute others because of their beliefs, faith, country of origin, color of their skin, height, hair color, eye color, income, social status, and many other reasons to separate “us” from “them”.  But, that is the crux of the matter, “us and them” thinking is the only concept keeping us from everlasting peace.  I believe there is no “us” and “them”, there is only “we”, we the people of the world.  Maybe someday we will learn. I pray it is before a common world threat occurs, which is likely the only way we will unite.