Tom was drafted into the army during World War II. His profane language and unruly ways soon earned him an unenviable reputation in the barracks as a godless bully. Some weeks after Tom’s induction, another soldier was added to his company. But this young man was as quiet, circumspect and sober as Tom was vulgar and disorderly.
It soon became evident to all in the company that the new recruit was a Christian. While he said little, each night before going to bed he knelt down beside his cot and prayed. There were the customary hoots and catcalls and jests. But Tom wasn’t satisfied with that. In his hatred of the soldier’s Christianity—especially of his evening prayers—he vowed to carry his verbal tormenting even further.
The next evening, when the Christian was again on his knees praying, Tom quickly removed one of his boots and, taking careful aim, threw it with a curse at the kneeling soldier. The boot landed with a solid thud against his side, causing the Christian to wince and catch his breath. But without even lifting his head, he continued to pray.
Further enraged, Tom removed his other boot and hurled it with as much force as he could muster. The boot struck the Christian a terrible blow on the side of his face. He shuddered and gasped in pain as blood trickled down his cheek. But again without opening his eyes, he remained on his knees.
Tired of the assault for that evening, Tom went to sleep. At reveille next morning he hopped out of bed. Remembering his boots, he looked over at the Christian’s bunk searching for where they had landed. And he found them, but not where he had hurled them the night before. Now they were neatly placed together—beautifully polished—at the end of his own bunk! It was not long after, that the love of Christ flooded Tom’s dark, sinful heart, and he was brightly saved.
We who live in well-favored western countries must not think that persecution for the name of Jesus only happens in “foreign lands.” It takes place wherever that blessed name is honored. We face an enemy who will stop at nothing—whether corruption and violence or friendship and succor—to stamp out the name of Christ. May we seek grace to move and act in Christ’s love towards those who persecute us for His name’s sake (Luke 6:27-28).
We are to expect such treatment (2 Tim. 3:12), and we are not to wonder at the world’s hatred (1 John 3:13). In 2 Samuel 16:5-14 we read of those that followed the king in his rejection. They felt the curses, stones and dust that were cast at David by the wicked Shimei. The more closely we follow the Lord Jesus in this world, the more we will feel all the insults and persecutions that the enemy casts at His blessed, peerless Person.
“Let us not be weary in well doing” (Gal. 6:9-10), for “the God of all grace” (1 Peter 5:10) invites us to flee to His presence at any moment—to “obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).
Ed.