“For even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

You’ve probably heard the song “Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to go now” by Kenny Chesney.  There is a line where he’s talking to the preacher and says: “next time you get the Lord’s ear, say ‘I’m comin but there ain’t no hurry, I’m havin fun down here.’”

I wonder why Christians, mainly in the west, agree with Chesney.  Jesus only spent 33 years on this beautiful handiwork and couldn’t wait to get back to the Father.  He said things like, “he who wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” (Lk 9:24) And “don’t let your hearts be troubled for I am going there (heaven) to prepare a place for you so that you also may be where I am.” (Jn 14)

I’ve been thinking of that 33-year-old mother of 3 who was publically executed (and her husband, parents and children sent to a political prison in North Korea) for the horrendous crime of distributing Bibles.  What would make her take such risks while most of us don’t want to risk rejection from friends and acquaintances for simply witnessing.

As you have heard me say in the past, we are all called to be martyrs, and while most of us won’t be called to die prematurely, we are all called to give the reason to anyone who asks for the hope we have in the resurrection.

The word “martyr” is a direct transliteration of the greek word which means “witness”.  It came to mean in English, a witness put to death for the faith, because so many of the early believers chose to die prematurely rather than renounce the faith once delivered.

A young slave girl named Felicity and her mistress Perpetua (a 22-year-old woman who was nursing an 8-month-old baby at the time) were tempted by Perpetua’s pagan father to apostatize.  He brought the young child to her in prison in an attempt to persuade her to recant.  Felicity was 8 weeks pregnant and shared that she was upset that pregnant women couldn’t be thrown to the lions and was relieved that she gave birth 2 days before her execution so she could die for the Lord she loved.

What has changed in the last 1800 years (they died in 203 A.D) that we think it’s a waste and would never think of leaving our loved ones behind for the sake of Christ?  I have some thoughts on the subject, but I would rather exhort us to fall upon our “swords of the Spirit”.  The Bible tells us his word is living and active, sharp “cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires.  It exposes us for what we really are. (Heb 4:12)

Why are Perpetua, Felicity and Ri Hyon Ok (the Korean mother) willing to die for Jesus, leaving young children and beloved family behind, giving thanks that they were counted worthy of suffering and dying for the one who died for them, and for us, it is something to be feared and avoided at all cost.

It gets to the core of our beliefs.  Do we really believe in “the resurrection of the body and life everlasting” ?  Do we believe that the lost around us are really facing a Christ-less eternity and that Jesus called his followers to serve the ones he came to serve and to be about his business of seeking and saving them?  Are we acting on those beliefs?

There was a saying in the early church that the blood of the martyrs was the fertilizer for growth.  The church is in need of Miracle-Gro.  Are we willing to provide the “stuff” to see His kingdom expanded on earth as it is in heaven?

YBTAT (you’d better think about that)!

Peace and Love,

Fr. Mike