Dr. Tan Tek Seng

DAILY REFLECTION
9 Sept 2026

“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭12‬ ‭

On September 3, renowned author and Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn found himself in an unexpected and frightening situation aboard American Airlines Flight 618.

According to Cahn, a conversation with the passenger beside him eventually turned to spiritual matters and the gospel. What began peacefully suddenly changed when the man became hostile, and the encounter escalated into physical aggression. Other passengers and crew members eventually intervened.

This incident reminds us of a sobering truth: the gospel of Jesus Christ will not always be welcomed.

Jesus Himself experienced both acceptance and rejection. Crowds came eagerly to hear Him, yet others opposed Him and eventually sought His death. The apostles faithfully proclaimed Christ, but many encountered ridicule, persecution, imprisonment and even martyrdom.

Matthew 11:12 reminds us that the advance of God’s Kingdom has never been without opposition. The gospel offers wonderful grace, forgiveness and hope, but it also confronts the human heart. It calls us to repentance, challenges our pride and invites us to surrender our lives to Christ.

Grace welcomes us, but truth also confronts us.

Yet when the gospel is resisted, Jesus does not call us to respond with anger or retaliation. He teaches us the way of grace.

When insulted, we need not insult in return. When rejected, we continue to love. When opposed, we remain faithful to truth. When hostility arises, we seek to reflect the character of Christ.

This does not mean Christians should remain in dangerous situations or refuse appropriate help. Christian courage is not recklessness; it is faithfulness without retaliation.

Most of us may never experience physical violence for sharing Christ. Yet we may encounter rejection, misunderstanding, criticism or strained relationships because of our faith.

We cannot control how others respond to the gospel, but we can choose how we respond to them.

May God give us courage without aggression, conviction without condemnation, and truth expressed through love. May opposition never silence our witness or harden our hearts toward those who reject us.

“The gospel may be resisted, but it cannot be defeated. Our calling is not to win every argument, but to remain faithful to Christ and reflect His love.”‬‬