We think persecution and suffering for our witness are strange happenings. The New Testament is clear that such should not surprise us.
1 Peter 4:12-19
Our Lord does have a history of sending us to the wolves where religious leaders, political leaders, and even family members come against us and kill us.
Matthew 10:16-25
The judgment will only arrive after the number of deaths reaches the foreordained amount.
Revelation 6:9-11
A good number of people are talking about persecution these days. It is a good thing to have such conversations. And while we should refrain from having a martyr’s complex, we should also refrain from being surprised when people are killed for their witness–across the world and across the street.