Suffering for Jesus? Oh Really?

When a pastor friend preached that living for Jesus Christ in this country was easy, someone challenged him.

The critic was outspoken in insisting that we have it just as hard and difficult here as other believers throughout the world.

I wonder who else believes as he does.  Not me, I’ll tell you.

A missionary to a Southeast Asia country tells how he was teaching a group of evangelists from his part of the world. The missionary said, “They soaked up the lesson on First Peter like it was news from a long-lost friend.”

At one point, he asked these men of God, “How many of you have been persecuted for your faith?” Having taught this lesson before, he was prepared to expect a number of responses.

But no.

Not a single hand was raised.

Thinking they may have misunderstood, the missionary said, “How many of you have suffered for preaching the gospel?”

Again, no hands were raised.

This had never happened before. He knew these men and women lived in a country where religious groups are required to register and get permission even to read their Bibles and pray. Why was he getting no response?

Finally, the missionary said, “How many of you have been imprisoned for sharing the Gospel?”

Every hand in the room went up.

Then, one by one, they began sharing their stories. It soon became apparent why they had not raised their hands: they did not consider imprisonment persecution.

Stop and think of that. They did not consider imprisonment persecution.

One evangelist told of a pastor he knows who was tortured by authorities for preaching the gospel. After being left outside overnight with no clothes on, still, that brother was eager to return to share the gospel with his people. They were hungry to hear about Jesus, he said.

At one point, 14 of these evangelists had been arrested and thrown into prison. But this did not stop them. They continued talking about Jesus. One evangelist led many prisoners to Christ. He even conducted worship services in the prison yard. When the authorities discovered what was happening, they chained him in solitary confinement.

Another of the evangelists returned home to see his newborn son for the first time, but still plans to continue preaching in the area where he was arrested and imprisoned for a full year for nothing more than preaching Christ.

The missionary said, “Now I (understood) why no one raised their hands the first two times I asked the question. The evangelists simply do not equate imprisonment with persecution or suffering. Sure, some were stoned, imprisoned, beaten, or evicted from their villages, but to them it’s the expected response for sharing the gospel.”

Toward the end of his session with the evangelists, the missionary heard their reports and added up more than 900 baptisms.

Are you as awed as I am?

The Apostle Paul had a word for people who live such sold-out lives for Christ: For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed. For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day (2Timothy 1:12).

Sometimes when I hear someone tell of their battles with cancer–of the endless chemo treatments,  stem-cell implants, and bone marrow transplants, all the unbearable suffering that seems to know no end–I think about my minor bouts with oral cancer, the surgery and radiation, and I keep my mouth shut. Mine was nothing compared to what they are enduring.

Throughout the world, our brothers and sisters are doing so much for Christ with so little. You and I have so much yet do so little.

Honestly, I would be ashamed to say I have ever suffered for Christ. What I have endured is so little compared to those who live in hostile nations where even meeting to pray is illegal.

Let us pray for our persecuted brethren throughout the world.

(Editor's Note: This blog was posted first on Dr. McKeever's blog site HERE.)