Persecution

Around the world, many Christians face real persecution because they follow Jesus. Some are treated unfairly, threatened or even punished for their faith. Most kids will never experience persecution in that way, but they may still know what it feels like to be made fun of, excluded or pressured because of what they believe or because they chose to do the right thing.

In this week’s Brite lesson, kids will hear how Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to worship the king’s statue, even when they knew it could cost them everything. They believed that only God was worthy of worship, and they trusted Him no matter what happened next.

As you talk with your kid this week, help them see that following God is sometimes difficult, but it is always worth it. Remind them that God was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fire, and He is still with His people today. Take a few moments as a family to pray for Christians around the world who are facing persecution and ask God to help your family stay faithful to Him too.

Here’s how we discussed this topic and how you can discuss it at home: 

Discuss: Have you heard about countries where people are treated badly for believing in Jesus?

Discuss: Why would people mistreat Christians?

Discuss: What does the Bible have to say about that?

Say: There are people all over the world who are hurt or put in jail because they believe in Jesus. Another word for this is “persecution.” There are some countries, many in the Middle East and Central Asia, where Christians are harmed every day. Most of us do not have to live in fear because we follow Christ, but we may encounter times where we are treated differently because of our faith or when we have to make some hard choices to honor Jesus when no one else is. In Matthew 5:10, Jesus says: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” He told the people that persecution happened to the Old Testament prophets and it would keep happening. We know people persecuted Jesus too. No matter our situation, we can remember that God is with us and He is with believers all over the world. Pray for those who are in scary situations because they follow Jesus.