Tortured for Christ

Recently read a book, Tortured For Christ, which is by this Romanian Pastor, Pastor Richard, who for the fact that he was involved in the Underground Church in the 1940s and 50s, was jailed 14 years, tortured, beaten, threatened, separated from his family just because he is a christian or that the authorities essentially felt that christians are a threat because christians are anti-communisim. But the amazing things is that for people like him, Heavenly Yun, or other folks i've heard or met in EA, they might not have heard much or read the entire bible when they became really fervent and passionate about preaching the gospel. Sometimes I wonder why i'm not as passionate about spreading the gospel, why sometimes my heart dont' burn up when i hear God's words, when folks in some countries would do anything just to get even a page of the bible but can't.

or possibly in 'free' environment like us, there are different challenges posed in sharing the gospel. Education, self confidence in our own talent and wisdom meant that to some, there is be no apparent need for God, or the fact that it's an acknowledgement that we are weak simply due to fact that we need a superior being from up above to fullfil our lives. That according to the bible, is simply foolishness of the world.

Even then, that shouldn't stop christians in 'free' country like us, who wouldn't be murdered, tortured, stoned, family starved to death simply cos of our belief, to do something for those who are suffering greatly for the gospel. Re-thinking our own stand, or at the least praying for them consistently, or going in to help when the opportunities arises should be part of what we can do.

Having said so, in the light of all these, agonising over why someone behaves differently or treats me differently than before seems superficially trivial. but sometimes, humans are complex, they continue to do things they know are not worth doing.