Being righteous is costly.
Once you begin walking the narrow road of righteousness, you are fighting on the front lines of a spiritual war zone; you are not relaxing in a dreamy, utopic fairy tale with an inevitable “happily ever after” ending.
Note that there is only one beatitude upon which Jesus immediately personalizes and elaborates when He said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).
To be righteous, not only do you have to be committed to righteousness to the point of being persecuted for it, you also must respond to it correctly! Neither retaliation, resentment, bitterness, despair, retreat, nor self-pity is acceptable.
The only righteous response to unrighteous treatment is: Rejoice and be exceedingly glad.
Being righteous is not for sissies.
