What would you do if someone threatened you for talking about Jesus?
Would you become more cautious? More silent? More fearful?
Most of us probably would.
But in today’s reading, Peter and John do something completely unexpected. After being threatened by powerful religious leaders and ordered to stop preaching about Christ, they don’t pray for safety. They don’t ask God to remove the opposition. And they don’t retreat.
Instead, they ask for something surprising.
Why would persecution make them bolder rather than more fearful? What did they understand about God that allowed them to see threats differently than most of us do?
And what if opposition, criticism, and even persecution are opportunities for God to do something greater than we ever imagined?
Today’s readings challenge us to think differently about hardship, courage, and the sovereignty of God.
