Tag Archives: persecution

If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you

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“Are you prepared for your family to be angry with you? Will you stand by your faith when they reject you?” Jai was able to answer, “yes”.

Jai had lived in a monastery as a monk to seek for and satisfy his longing for spiritual truth and enlightenment. He came to Thailand desperate for a job, and fell in love with a young Shan woman who loved Jesus. After they married he told her he did not want to talk about anything religious, but he watched her life. He was later baptized.

A week after being baptized, Jai went back to his family. They were even angrier than he had anticipated. They yelled at his wife and chased her away, telling her to never come back. They took away his phone and locked him in a room for weeks. They threatened him and told him he had to renounce his faith or they would never forgive him.

Eventually Jai escaped and was reunited with his wife. He stands firm in his faith.

Shan-Tai prayer month 2011, day 23

Shan Christians face huge costs in becoming disciples of Christ. They are not coming from a culture that considers religious convictions to be a private matter in which each individual can do as they please. Families and communities feel immensely betrayed when a Shan turns to Christ.

Many Shan really do lose everything by following Jesus. Rejected by family and even ostracised from their village, they suddenly have little or no worldly supports.

Some pay an even bigger price, willingly facing the dangers of going back into war zones to help their fellow people. In this role they are enemies of the Burma Army and become targets of their animosity.

On September 14th 2010 the Burma Army shot in the back and killed a Shan Free Burma Rangers relief team member as he was giving humanitarian assistance to people in Shan State.

Sai Yod was the team camera man as well as one of the Good Life Club team members who focused on helping children. He was a kind and smiling man who loved to help others, endured hardship without complaint and loved children. He was a hard worker, tough, and never surrendered. FBR REPORT 29 September, 2010

Pray for

  • New Shan believers to stand firm as they face persecution and threats (Philippians 1:27-30).
  • Persecutors to see Christ’s light in the lives of Christians and be changed by it (Matthew 5:16).
  • Those who knowingly face danger in order to serve Jesus.

“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’” (Acts 26:9-18 ESV)

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Image of Sai Yod: Free Burma Rangers

Turn… and pray

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What should I do when someone attacks my faith? Obviously striking back is not an option (Luke 6:29), and Jesus did warn that the world would not think highly of Christians (John 15:18-20), even to the point of being turned upon by one’s own family (Matthew 10:34-38). That’s all good in theory, but in real life being slapped in the face is painful and intentionally placing myself as the target for a second shot is not what I want to do at all. What I want to do is to either hit back or run away (or hit back and then run!).  What I actually ended up doing was nothing much because I was too angry to trust myself to say anything so I did end up walking away from the ‘conversation’.

Certainly there have been times when people have mocked my faith and I have stoically accepted the mockery without flinching. But in those cases the person mocking me was not close to me or in any way a significant character in my life, so frankly I was not particularly concerned what they might think about what I believe. I’m not so stoic, however, when a person whose opinion can deeply affect me tells me that the foundation upon which I have built my life is worthless. My mind is saying, “that’s not true, don’t take it to heart”. My heart, on the other hand, is feeling completely gutted that this person could think in this way. Against even my own better judgment I find myself wondering if perhaps they are right? Maybe I truly am a fool for believing? (1 Corinthians 15:19).

In time I cool off a little, I find a space in which to open the Bible and renew my mind. The initial (immature) reaction of never wanting to see that person again subsides and grace wriggles in through cracks in my angry sullenness. It still hurts knowing that those few words reveal a heart attitude fundamentally opposed to the core of who I am – how do you relate to someone you should respect and honour when they disdain all that you value? I don’t know. It will take grace in very large measures, something I don’t have within myself.

What I do know is that I should pay greater attention to what I read in the Bible: while it was easy to recall the verse about turning the other cheek, it is the six words immediately preceding  Luke 6:29 that I most need: “pray for those who abuse you.” My not knowing how to respond to the situation is fine, my not having grace sufficient to the task is also fine, all I need is to pray. God is wisdom and grace, He has all I need and all I need to have is the humility of a child to ask and receive His equipping for the response He demands of me.

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.”
(Luke 6:27-29 ESV)

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Pray for Christians in Morocco

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A family of New Zealand Christians who were working at an orphanage in Morocco have suddenly been evicted (TVNZ news report). They have concerns for the children who they are caring for because there are no clear plans for ongoing care for the 33 children.

There have also been other deportations and arrests of Christians at Bible study groups. Compass Direct News reports that the crackdown on evangelical Christians may be an attempt by the Moroccan government to balance recent actions taken against Shiite Islamic missionary activity in the country.

There is a fragile religious tension in Morocco and we should pray that Christians are not further restricted and that the gospel is able to spread in this country.