But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor. (Est. 3:2)
AN AFRICAN CHRISTIAN shared about his grandmother’s courage: without any warning, dissident soldiers had entered into her village in the middle of the night and had woken up all the villagers and lined them up to be interrogated. The question they asked was, “Are you a Christian?” If the answer was no, then the one responding went to the left of the questioner to stand. If the answer was yes, then the respondents stood on his right.
When all the villagers had responded, those who had answered no were released to return to their huts. Those individuals left standing were required to answer another question. Yelling out the words, the leader of the dissident army asked, “Are you willing to stop following Christ?” Those willing to stop were allowed to leave. Those who remained standing were told, “Either denounce Christ or suffer!” Some more complied.
However, a small number of villagers were still standing. The grandmother, a leader in the village church, boldly stated, “We will not deny our Savior. What is a moment of pain compared to an eternity of joy with Jesus Christ?” Each person who remained was horrendously tortured. Some had their hands cut off. Others lost fingers. Afterwards they were released. Years later, this man’s grandmother said, “I have never regretted taking that stand for Jesus Christ.”
Determine to stand for Jesus no matter the threats set against you.
Jim “Umf” Lo is a professor at Indiana Wesleyan University, cross-cultural leader, intercessor, and author of several books including Unholiness: Overcoming the Forces That Attack Your Soul (WPH).
© 2019 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
