Suffering

In inputting some of my library on LibraryThing.com, I noticed the subtitle to one of my books: "What Christians today would survive persecution?" It is a book about the centuries of persecution in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

The reality is that thousands of Christians around the world today are facing persecution. They are imprisoned, tortured, separated from family, beaten, losing money and jobs, and being killed. Visit the Voice of the Martyrs website to read a few of their stories.

Persecution does not exist in America, thank God. Despite what some whiny leaders talk about manger scenes being banned from public spaces, there is no systematic persecution in America. Some of us may have people make fun of us for being Christian. Americans freely go to church. Americans freely shop in Christian bookstores. Americans freely tote Bibles around. Americans freely affix corny Christian bumper stickers to their cars. Americans freely where Christian t-shirts. Americans are not imprisoned for their faith. Churches are not burned to the ground, at any greater rate than any other building. Bibles are not burned.

I wonder though, what would happen to the American church if persecution did break out? Just because it is not a present reality, it could be a future reality. Would so many nominal Christians recant their faith? Or, would they stand up for their faith? It is easy to be a Christian when there is no real opposition. It is quite another thing when faced with difficulty: beating, loss of a job, loss of family, loss of security, or death.

Americans are rather soft. We do not like any inconvenience. We cannot stand a little pain. We hate to wait in line. We hate to have to go out of our way for anything.

What would happen if persecution did break out in our land?