READ: Acts 18:5-11
“For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy...” – 2 Timothy 3:2
Some Christians may die before their time because of blasphemy. With their own mouths, they cut their lives short. You may think that because someone is a controversial figure, he must be doing something wrong. But I have discovered that the higher you go in ministry or public life, the more controversial you appear to outsiders.
I know many ministers who have become known as controversial figures because of the Gospel. The more they did God’s work, the more controversial they became.
Everywhere Paul went, he was considered a controversial person. The crowds did not like him in most of the cities he ministered. At one point, soldiers had to escort him away because the crowds were so angry with him. People were filled with so much hatred for him (Acts 16:19, 20). Paul also experienced much blasphemy in his ministry. Perhaps, if Paul had lived in our time, he would have hit the headlines in the tabloids time and time again. Many Christians would have said, “If you were really doing the right thing you would not have so much trouble all the time.”
As a minister or Christian, do not be too concerned about having people think and speak well of you all the time (Luke 6:26). Jesus is our example. Jesus is our Commander-in-Chief. We take instructions from Him. If anyone speaks against us, he will have the Holy Spirit and Jehovah El’Shaddai to reckon with.