Sweeping Pete’s street

I returned recently from a trip to a part of the world where it is dangerous to be a follower of Jesus. To be mistreated because of alignment with him has always been true for some believers, and there are many places in our time where Christians are being increasingly persecuted for their faith.

One of my ministry colleagues told our team about a man he recently worked with who is now in hiding because of threats to him and his family because of their faith. About the same time, I had a call with a leader I know in another country who was jailed for sharing his faith. Though he was released while his case is pending, he continues to courageously carry out his work for Christ.

I marvel at their courage

I honor and admire those who openly declare their faith and love for Christ and serve him in very difficult circumstances. I marvel at their courage and commitment.

One of those is a man named Peter, whom I heard speak in a meeting a few years back. He lives in a country where Christians are a minority and they are often socially ostracized and sometimes physically mistreated.

He was telling his story—not in a boastful, but just a matter-of-fact manner—about a time that he moved to a town with his family where there were no known believers in Christ. He hoped to introduce these people to Jesus and start a new church with any who put their faith in him. He began telling people about Christ’s offer for them to enjoy the best life now and to obtain eternal life forever. Some of those he interacted with responded to his message and soon the news spread about what he was doing.

One evening, in the middle of the night, as he and his family were sleeping, a radical group broke into his home, dragged him, his wife and children outside and then beat him severely. They set fire to his house and it burned to the ground. All that they had left were the clothes they were wearing and a few items that they could recover that were outside the house.

He refused to quit

Those of us in the audience listened in stunned silence. We felt both sorrow and anger that he had experienced such humiliation, physical harm and loss for his faith. I tried to imagine what I would have done had I been in his situation and gone through what he did.

Peter surprised us as he told us what he did next. He did not retaliate and he did not quit. Instead, he simply moved his family to another town and started to again share his faith, seeking to start another new church. Despite the suffering he went through, he refused to give up his allegiance to Christ and his commitment to serve him.

My friend's response surprised me

Sitting beside me as I listened to Peter tell his story was a friend of mine named Warren. I shook my head in wonder and turned to him and whispered, “You know, Warren, in the kingdom of Christ, I’m going to be sweeping that guy’s street!”

I expected Warren to nod his agreement, but I was surprised when he whispered back “Floyd, that’s not true! You shouldn’t say something like that.”

Perplexed by his response, I asked, “What do you mean?”

Without missing a beat he said, “Buddy, in the kingdom, they aren’t even going to let you in his neighborhood!”

I couldn’t help but chuckle when I heard him say that as he looked at me with a smile on his face.

I don’t think I have ever really suffered for my faith in Christ. I have been in some uncomfortable situations. I’ve been ridiculed and, on a very few occasions cursed and asked to leave, but I’ve never experienced anything like what Peter did for following and serving Jesus.

God is doing great things in our world today.

We don’t hear about it much in the public media, but reports are coming out of many difficult regions about remarkable movements of people turning to faith in Jesus, all because of largely unknown, but faithful and committed believers like Peter. In Christ's future kingdom I believe God will greatly honor them.

While we still experience relative freedom for practicing our faith in Christ in our country, I am concerned about the increasing resistance and negative attitudes toward Christians here.

I hope that I, and my fellow believers, can show the resilience, resolve and grace that Peter did no matter what we face in the days ahead. The Bible predicts that it is going to get increasingly tougher before Jesus returns to take us into his kingdom.

I’m glad that I will get to be a part of that kingdom along with other fellow believers simply because we have placed our faith in Jesus as our sin forgiver and eternal life giver. I also believe the Bible teaches that there will be varying levels of reward in his future kingdom for followers of Christ based on their commitment to follow and serve him during this life.

I know I will be really happy to be in Christ's kingdom, even if I’m just sweeping streets of faithful followers who endured suffering because of their faith, or even if I won’t be allowed in their neighborhood.