I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Timothy 1-4.

In this passage Paul talks about the fact that the norm for faithful followers of Christ is to experience persecution. We should not be ashamed when people make fun of us or persecute us for our beliefs. Rather we should be proud. Further, when we are made fun of or persecuted we do not need to ask what we are doing wrong. Instead, we need to ask that when we are not being persecuted or made fun of. That does not mean that we will always be persecuted or made fun of. Just that we should expect to be. It also does not mean that not being persecuted or made fun of indicates that we are doing something wrong. Just that we might be.
When Paul tells us that we should be happy to experience persecution he is not telling us to seek persecution, or to act in ways designed to elicit persecution. Rather, he is telling us that persecution is a sign that we are faithfully following Christ’s example. Let us not choose our actions so as to provoke persecution, but let us choose to follow Christ in such a way that those who persecuted Him will persecute us.