Friday, June 19 You were publicly exposed both to reproaches and to tribulations.​—Heb. 10:33.

[Áine]

Friday, June 19

You were publicly exposed both to reproaches and to tribulations.—Heb. 10:33.

 

The apostle Paul could speak with conviction about what it takes to endure. He reminded Christians that when enduring trials, they needed to rely not on themselves but on Jehovah. Paul could say with courage: “Jehovah is my helper; I will not be afraid.” (Heb. 13:6) Some of our brothers are enduring persecution right now. We can loyally support them by means of our prayers and, at times, in practical ways. The Bible clearly says, however, that “all those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted.” (2 Tim. 3:12) For that reason, all of us need to prepare for what lies ahead. Let us continue to trust fully in Jehovah, confident that he will help us to endure any trial that may come our way. In due time, he will bring relief to all his faithful worshippers.—2 Thess. 1:7, 8. w24.09 13 ¶17-18

[dljbsp]

My very first thought when this showed up in my email box was that my data had been exposed publicly on the internet. And I saw where it was from, and certainly understood it was the day's text. 

 

 

That probably says something about the times we live in. When we hear the words "publicly exposed," we immediately think of privacy breaches, hacked accounts, and stolen information.

 

For Paul and the first-century Christians, the exposure was different. Their faith, their loyalty to Christ, and their identity as Christians were publicly exposed. Once people knew where they stood, reproaches and tribulations often followed.

 

There's a warning for us.. We will not be surprised if our loyalty to Jehovah becomes increasingly visible to others. Paul was not caught off guard by that reality, and neither should we be. Instead, we can rely on Jehovah, confident that he will help us endure whatever comes our way.