I’ve had the privilege of meeting persecuted Christians from countries all over the world. These are Christians who are from different cultures, they speak different languages, and they have different stories. But after meeting each of these people, I come away feeling the same thing:
…that I need the persecuted church more than they need me.
Why would I say this? It seems like a crazy statement doesn’t it?
How can I say this when over 200 million believers in 52 countries face persecution for their faith every day? The level of suffering in restricted nations is simply unimaginable. People are beaten, imprisoned, harassed and killed for their faith in Christ. How then can I say that I need the persecuted church more than they need me?
The reason I say this is because when I look at the persecuted church I not only see the pain and suffering, the oppression and injustice – I see faith and hope in the face of trials. I see joy and victory when everything else has been lost.
We in Australia have so much to learn from the persecuted church. I don’t want to downplay their needs, because yes, their needs are great, but we have so much to learn. Why? Because there is so much distracting us from Christ in Australia – we have so many distractions and such a comfortable lifestyle. My biggest concern is where to go on holidays (I’m currently planning a trip to Adelaide with my wife Katherine), or what to do with the Stimulus Payment from Mr Rudd. My life here is tied up in things that don’t last. For believers in restricted nations, their lives are tied up in Christ – they don’t have any of the luxuries that we take for granted, all they’ve got is Jesus.
And so I put it to you that we need the persecuted church more than they need us, because when we look at the example of the persecuted Christians, we get a glimpse of what it really means to follow Jesus.
“Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering” – Hebrews 13:3
