“Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” St. Paul wrote those words to Timothy, the young pastor of the church in Ephesus. The message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is an offense to the world, and to sinful mankind. It is a message that convicts all people of sin, and it is a message that salvation can come only through Jesus. When you put on the hat of “messenger for Christ” people may not only resent the message, but the messenger. It is important for God's people to lovingly and graciously share the truth of God's Word with all people. That Word is the power of God to change people's hearts.