Luke 12:4-12 is a very hard passage to stomach for us, mere mortals that love life so much, that we want to live forever on earth. The call to be a child of God comes with its problems and is not necessarily an easy task. Persecution can come in various forms, from simple ridicule and mockery to the loss of life. 2 Thessalonians 1, 1 Peter 4:2 all counsel us that we are called indeed to “take up the Cross and follow Jesus” a.k.a. suffer for his name. This was indeed explicitly given in the call of Paul, the Apostle as recorded in Acts 9:16 which states that “For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake”.

Should it be, that we are faced with a situation to deny the name of Jesus or face death, Jesus tells us what our answers should be.
Fear not of men that can merely kill the body, but can do nothing more (Luke 12:4)
But Fear him (God) who after he hath killed you, has the power to cast you in hell a.k.a kill your soul (Luke 12:5)
He (God) who does not even forget a sparrow, has numbered and knows the very hairs in your head, and He (God) will not forget you.

Fear not because you are NOT forgotten!