Paying the price of faith

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. – John 12:24-25

Tonya Kasprov had many fond memories of her grandfather (dedushka as she called him) who had been imprisoned in Russia for his faith. Among them, it was how her grandfather who lived to almost age 90 had two rather strange habits. He always had a piece of bread in his pocket and he always wore a coat or heavy sweater, even if the day was beautiful and sunny. When he spent 25 long years in prison under Communism, what he missed the most was the warmth of a fire and enough bread to fill his stomach. He was talking no chances, ever again.

Jesus warned the disciples, telling them that they would be hated, just as He was hated. Pointedly He said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Yet maybe the thought of being hated might make us uncomfortable or edgy. Yes, we like the benefits of joy and peace in our hearts, the assurance of heaven when we die, but to pay a price for your faith, even to the point of being put in prison, is something that we prefer not to consider a possibility. The reality is, however, many still lack the freedom to worship God and pay a price for their faith.

I once asked a Ukrainian brother who spent seven long years in prison for the cause of Christ, “Do you think that this kind of persecution could again happen in our world?” “It not only could,” he replied, “but is even now.” This is something we prefer not to think about, but this is the reality of living in a world that is still hostile to Jesus Christ.