"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
One definition for "blessed" is to be so happy as to be envied (Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon of the Greek New Testament). What Jesus says in this passage about what constitutes blessedness seems entirely inconsistent with being so happy as to be envied. When I think of being blessed, among other things, I think of being accepted, not rejected. Persecuted people experience profound rejection and are often ostracized. In certain countries they suffer the loss of their homes, are beaten and are sometimes martyred.
For social beings, this is the epitome of hardship.
When a person is persecuted specifically for righteousness' sake, the blessedness can begin to make some sense. To be persecuted for the sake of righteousness is not to be persecuted for embodying virtue, but for faithfulness as a follower of Christ, especially when that means swimming against the current. We Christians are not distinguished primarily by our morals, for many people exemplify good morals, but by our unwavering devotion to Jesus Christ.
Paul explained to Timothy that,
"...everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12 NIV).
In the original language of the New Testament, "everyone" means every one! Do you desire to "live a godly life in Christ Jesus?" Then expect to get some flack for it.
Some Christians experience "push back," not for their devotion to Christ, but because they are self-righteous, judgmental and overbearing. If you are feeling rejected because you think that the best way to influence someone is to tell them where they are falling short, you are not being persecuted for righteousness' sake, but for being an idiot. Jesus Himself was not persecuted by the immoral, but by the religious establishment. His harshest words were reserved for the Pharisees who thought that holiness was about image management.
Is it your devotion to Christ that is bringing resistance and even rejection from others? Then you are blessed!