I've had a couple of opportunities to preach in downtown Fort Worth (the real veterans are out there every week) and most of the hecklers I saw were professing Christians. And I'll tell you, it's really hard to preach over a bagpiper. I don't seek to be persecuted, but if I am, the Bible tells me how to react to it.
So many times we react with outrage and anger, disappointment with people, and a sense of "What is this country coming to?" But the Lord Himself said this in Matthew chapter 5:
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and
shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven:
for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
No, it's not easy to do. No, it doesn't make any sense. But it really means what it says. Just so that there's no personal interpretation problem with it, here are the Apostles' examples after they were beaten, from Acts chapter 5:
41 ¶ And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing
that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus...
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