New
Words:
Communist:
Someone who believes that everything must be owned or controlled by the
government, even what people think and believe.
Compromise:
Changing what you believe or think in order to agree.
"What
are you suffering for Jesus?" asked Markus, a ten-year-old boy living in the
Soviet Union.*
His
question may sound strange to American children. But for Markus, it seemed
perfectly normal. His own suffering had shown him how God takes care of
those who follow Jesus, no matter what others say.
When
Communist leaders took control of Markus's country, they tried to stop
Christians from talking about Jesus. They didn't want people to read the
Bible or trust God. So when his brave parents continued to tell others about
the God they loved, they were sent to prison.
The
angry new rulers placed the frightened boy in a special training camp. There
he would learn to think like a Communist and forget about God. But Markus
didn't forget. Nor would he join the other children who made fun of Jesus.
He would rather be alone than have friends who hated God.
He
refused to compromise; he wouldn't change his beliefs and follow the group.
That upset his teachers, and they embarrassed him in front of the other
students. Markus hurt inside, but he couldn't turn to his parents for help.
He didn't even know if he would ever see them again. He felt terribly
lonely, but he still wouldn't join those who mocked his Lord.
Instead,
he cried out to God for help, and something exciting happened. Jesus became
his best friend. Day after day, Jesus gave Markus the courage to say "no" to
the Communist leaders who wanted to destroy his faith. It didn't matter how
much his teachers pressured him to change his mind, Markus stayed faithful
to God. In fact, the greater the pressure, the more strength and courage he
received from Jesus.
All the
time, God was watching and protecting him. So it's not surprising that one
day, Markus was released from the camp and returned to his family. But he
didn't forget the wonderful things he had learned through his suffering for
Jesus. He knew, without a doubt, that Jesus was always with him. Nothing was
too difficult when he trusted his faithful Friend. Rejection couldn't crush
him, nor could loneliness. Nor could the Communist tactics for changing the
beliefs of children.
Instead, Markus had learned to know Jesus far better than most Christian
children do
today. No wonder he believes persecution is a special gift God gives to His
best friends.
God's Word
The Bible tells us that Christians are different from those who don't know
Jesus. That makes a lot of people angry. They want everyone to be the same.
They also want people to accept new beliefs and values that oppose God's
truth. But our God is the King of the universe, and nothing can block His
plan for each of us. We may face hard times, but He has given us some very
special promises to encourage us. Here is one of them. If you know the
following promise, it will help you stay close to Jesus -- no matter what
happens:
". . . we are children of God, and if children, then heirs -- heirs of God
and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him. . . .
"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved
us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor
principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height
nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from
the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(Romans 8:16-17, 37-39)
Let's talk about it
1. What happened to Markus and his parents when they continued to tell
others about Jesus?
2. How did God encourage Markus?
3. What does God promise those who are willing to suffer with Him?
4. What would you answer if Markus asked you, "What are you suffering for
Jesus?"
*This story, retold in my words, came from a children's book titled, What
made them so Brave? Markus was not his true name. If you want to order this
special book for your family, click on Kanaan and scroll down to the last
item.
Remember -
Jesus isn't surprised at the growing hostility toward Christians.
He told us to expect it:
"If they persecute me; they will persecute you because
they do not know the One who sent me." (John 15:20-21)
If you trust and follow Him, the people who reject your Lord
will probably reject you also. Are you ready to follow Jesus-even
when it hurts?
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