³⁸ … of whom the world was not worthy …

Unbelieving, God-rejecting persecutors of believers treat followers of the creator God of the universe as unworthy of life. The penchant for ridding life of such miscreants, in their opinion, would make the world better off. As Paul sardonically reflects, “… we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things” (1 Cor 4:13). How ironic! In God’s estimation, the world is not worthy of the persecuted ones, those willing to accept suffering rather than abandon loyalty to God!

This is a common theme of the New Testament. The apostles learned this early on. After their flogging at the hands of the religious leaders, “…they went on their way … rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41). They remembered the teachings of the Lord Jesus: “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:11–12). They had joined the long procession of believers who were considered worthy to suffer for their God! They did not want it said of them what Jesus warned: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. (Matt 10:37–38).

The apostle Peter, reflecting on a lifetime of suffering for Christ wrote: “… to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you … but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name” (1 Peter 4:13-14, 16).

Paul, likewise, joined in the challenge for all believers: “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor 4:16–18). And, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom 8:18).

Lord, help me to join the chorus of believers who accept difficulties in my life, so that I might be considered worthy of suffering for You and might glorify You.