We like to think we are martyrs here for our faith, but we have no idea what that is like. We are more used to our privilege and dominance in mainstream society that we actually end up persecuting others. We don't know what it is like to truly sacrifice ourselves or our ideals because of persecution.
Sacrifice, or taking up our cross to follow Jesus requires us to give up things (Mark 8:34). We are such a society of privilege and entitlement that we demand to have things our own way and flex our power to do it. Would we be truly willing to sacrifice food, water, clothing, our very safety for the Gospel. I think many of us would not make it when push came to shove. To actually be in the minority and stick it out against all kinds of abuse and unrest is not something most of us are familiar with.
I think of this today as I heard from my friend in South Sudan. No, the current situation is not caused by religious persecution, but they have endured this for many years. So many years they have fled to the bush and been forced into hiding because of differences in religion. So much so that this way of life has become the most familiar to them. I wonder if they will ever find peace when they have only known war, I wonder at the sacrifices they have made because of their beliefs and I wonder at some of them who are sacrificing so much to be the voices of peace in the current crisis. Would we be willing to sacrifice so much?
Sacrifice, or taking up our cross to follow Jesus requires us to give up things (Mark 8:34). We are such a society of privilege and entitlement that we demand to have things our own way and flex our power to do it. Would we be truly willing to sacrifice food, water, clothing, our very safety for the Gospel. I think many of us would not make it when push came to shove. To actually be in the minority and stick it out against all kinds of abuse and unrest is not something most of us are familiar with.
I think of this today as I heard from my friend in South Sudan. No, the current situation is not caused by religious persecution, but they have endured this for many years. So many years they have fled to the bush and been forced into hiding because of differences in religion. So much so that this way of life has become the most familiar to them. I wonder if they will ever find peace when they have only known war, I wonder at the sacrifices they have made because of their beliefs and I wonder at some of them who are sacrificing so much to be the voices of peace in the current crisis. Would we be willing to sacrifice so much?
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