Am I willing?
This past week we spent two days discussing persecution. I began to think about my persecution here and what I have to go through. I tried to make a list…bad idea. I was not happy with my results. The amount of persecution i suffered was limited…in fact I would say if virtually does not exist. There have been times where people did not invite me somewhere because they knew what I believed and how I lived. But they were not trying to be mean to me, instead respected me enough to not invite me. I have been called a name or two, nothing bad, or to insulting. However, the person who called me the name later apologized for his comment. I have had a “friend”, talk behind my back about me, say this or that about my faith, and then act friendly toward me whenever I see him. (I was told it was because my faith and my actions were convicting him of his wrong doing. I would be hesitant to say that. Its not me that was convicting but the Father. I might say that through my actions were convicting for him how he should be living). But I have not had to endure hard pain, mental anguish, physical abuse, for what I believe. The limits of what I can take have not been reached…I don’t think.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not looking to be persecuted intentionally. No way…no how is that what I want! To be beaten and left for dead, spend 17 years tied up in prison, confined to a little cell, with very little food and water, because of what you believe and the fact that you are vocal about it. I do not have an obsession to be beaten, etc. But I do have a desire to be bold: enough that it is convicting to others (maybe a tomato or two will be thrown at me), to speak the name of the Father and see people react in such a way that they are both shamed at their lack of faith and disbelief, but see the joy return when they are presented the good news. There is a tendency to feel sorry for those in dire straights, in hard situations. We pray against suffering, etc. However, we find that if we talk to those who have come out of those situations, that they would gladly go back again. Gladly…are you kidding me! I want the Father’s protection over me and what I do, but if it is for him, and I love him that much can I gladly give all I have for what I believe?
Father gave his only son…can I at least give something?
I’ll leave you with a short story…
A man was asked what would make him most proud. He thought about for a moment. Not long. He then replied, as if he had been preparing the response but only needed the moment to gather his thoughts “If I am jailed and taken away from my family and I hear that my family was taken, or beaten, and asked to deny their faith, that they not. I would be most proud to hear my 12 year old son, wife, young daughter died because they did not renounce the name of Jesus.
Father words are: - Above all else be faithful until death.
