“If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.” (1 Peter 4:14)

In this world, people can be mean and say mean things. Even as children, we are mean to our peers, saying things that can be hurtful and damaging emotionally. A person can be made fun of because of their attire, their looks, where they live, their level of education, and many other things.

But, here in our text verse, the Apostle Peter gives a word of comfort and instruction to the Child of God:

“If ye be reproached (criticized, taunted, railed at) for the name of Christ, happy are ye.”

Jesus made it perfectly clear to His disciples that the world would hate them and persecute them:

(John 15:18-21) “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.  (19)  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.  (20)  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.  (21)  But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.”

Jesus made it plain unto His disciples that if they had persecuted Him, the disciples could expect the same; and that the persecution was because of His Name.

What is His Name? It is Christ, the Anointed One, Son of God, Wonderful Counsellor, Prince of Peace, King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus is that Light that manifests those things that are hid in darkness. And because the deeds of man are evil, that light exposes those evils that man loves so well (John 3:19-21).

So, as to the Child of God, they are the salt of the earth, a city sat on a hill, the light of the world; and as such, the evil deeds of man are yet exposed (Matthew 5:13-16).

Not all men will see your good works and glorify God on that behalf. Psalms 2:2-3 makes that clear:

“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,  (3)  Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.”

The world wants nothing to do with the Child of God. We see this even now in our society today. The Saints of God have been persecuted since God chose Israel as His People.

But, there is good news and comfort in the Word of concerning sufferings. In Romans 8:18, Paul says:

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Now, let’s look at the remainder of 1 Peter 4:14. This last phrase says, “the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.”

When we endure sufferings and reproach, all for the Name of Christ, God honors us as we glorify Him. We magnify the Lord to a lost and dying world.

Let’s consider one last Scripture in conclusion to this devotion. Listen to what Paul had to say in 2 Timothy 2:7-12:

“Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.  (8)  Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:  (9)  Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.  (10)  Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.  (11)  It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:  (12)  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:”

What a day of rejoicing that will be, when our days of suffering on this earth are over, and those who have borne reproach for the Name of Christ are reigning with Him.

I am looking forward to it. What about you?