The Coward in the Corner

I grew up as the offspring of Christians, in a Communist country, during a time when the persecution of Christians in general was not only sanctioned, but encouraged. Since both the teacher and the schoolmaster knew of my parents’ leanings, I and another boy whose parents were also Christians were signaled out, and oft mistreated, daily told there was no God, and mocked for having uneducated, unenlightened parents who clung to the notion of a supreme being without ever having seen Him.

Although neither of us ever said anything, there was a third boy who we knew from our church services in our class, but who the government had as yet not discovered as being the son of Christians. Every day he would sit quietly in the corner, and watch as we were berated, or taken out of class to go to the special room where we were to be reeducated, and he never once said anything.

Granted, he was only eight. In his shoes, I don’t know if I would have acted any different at that age, but the Christians who are currently keeping silent, sitting in the corner and watching as their brothers and sisters are being persecuted are not eight year olds. They are grown up, adult, mature individuals, who ought to have the requisite spine to say something in regards to the war being waged against believers throughout the world.

I don’t know how much of the boy’s silence was fear, cowardice, or a desire to spare himself what we went through every day, but his family was eventually found out. Someone eventually informed on his parents as being among those who followed after Jesus, and soon enough there were three of us being maligned, berated, and reeducated.

Ignoring the reality of our times, and pretending as though persecution against believers is not on the rise both here and throughout the world is childish and counterproductive.

Seeing the trend, seeing the rise of the persecutors and the increase in persecution, it would be well worth our time, and even a priority to prepare our hearts and minds for the eventuality of enduring persecution and hardship as our brothers and sisters currently are.

Sitting quietly in the corner, hoping not to attract any attention to ourselves will only delay the inevitable, and brand us as cowards to boot.

If all we’re going to do is sing ‘stand up, stand up for Jesus’ then we might as well stop singing, and put an end to the self-delusion we've fashioned for ourselves that singing it somehow means we are in fact doing it.

Unless we remember what we were meant to be, and return to that which we have been called, we will be swept asunder by the wave which even now is barreling toward us.

Matthew 24:9-13, “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea Jr.