We live in a time and a culture where those who love the Lord are treated as inconveniences and even enemies of our society. I am convinced that many of our government officials and other public personalities are actively pushing to provoke a violent response from us, so that we might be discredited. Many of you will remember the controversial 2011 Department of Homeland Security guidance that named Evangelical Christianity at the top of the list of domestic terror threats. Within hours of the Boston Marathon bombing some commentators (most notably MSNBC's Chris Matthews, Good Morning America's Pierre Thomas and CNN's Peter Bergen) blamed "right-wing extremists", and a large percentage of "right-wingers" are Christians. Can you name one act of terrorism perpetrated by Christians? I can't either, but I see in these examples an eagerness on the part of the world to see us break with God's commands and lash out violently, and in doing so, to discredit the name of Jesus. Gentlemen, no one likes to be falsely accused. Vindication is a wonderful feeling. "'No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me,' declares the Lord." (Isaiah 54:17). Our vindication comes from the Lord and is not of our own doing. Even in these times, our primary concern does not need to be our own vindication, but should be seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. God Himself vindicates His people. We have been called to be His ambassadors of mercy to the world that hates Him, to their own destruction, a destruction, by the way, that God does not want. Second Peter 3:9 teaches that "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."
We, like Jesus, should be heartbroken over the self-destruction of those who hate Him. "Working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain for He says, 'At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you'; behold, now is 'the acceptable time,' behold, now is 'the day of salvation'-giving no cause for offense in anything, in order that the ministry be not discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things." (2 Corinthians 6:1-10).