The numbers will shock you. We don’t think about it often because of the marvelous freedoms we have in this country, but we should at least be aware and prayerful of what is taking place around the world with our brothers and sisters in Christ. The population of the persecuted exceeds the population of the USA. Thousands of people were killed last year because they professed faith in and loyalty to Jesus Christ. This is not new. Since Jesus ascended to Heaven, His people have suffered on behalf of His name. It’s real. You can read the stories and get the statistics from organizations like Voice of the Martyrs. It would encourage your faith to read some testimonies about what it takes to follow Jesus in some places in the world. There are some modern-day heroes of the faith. The letter to Smyrna was a message to a church under persecution. Jesus never promised that it would not come, He promised that it would. He also told them to stop being afraid about the trial that was coming their way. He was with them and would limit the pressure they experienced. Enduring difficulties because of loyalty to Christ not only says something about the person in the trial, but it also says something about the One who sustains in trials. He is a Good Shepherd.