Today I'm going to share with you a story out of my favorite devotional book. I've heard this story before from my Sunday school leader, but I just read it again in my devo book this morning.
They were singing choruses when the two soldiers entered with rifles. The service came to a halt as the Russian soldiers stared at the believers with wild eyes.
"What are you doing here?" They shouted. "Worshiping your imaginary God?" The church members cowered in the pews, wondering if there were more soldiers and more guns outside.
"All those who are faithful to God, move to the right side of the church," said one of the soldiers, his face a mask of hatred. "You will be shot for your faith. You who wish to go a home and keep your life, go to the left side. You must decide to live or die. Those who are faithful to this 'God' will die. Those who deny him can live freely."
Ten minutes earlier, everyone had sung praises equally. Now it was a question of life or death. Some stood to the left, looking sadly and waving apologetically at those on the right. Some stood on the right, their eyes closed in last-minute prayers.
"You on the left are free to go," one of the soldiers said moments later. Those people filed out, taking one last look at those who would soon be dead.
Wen only those on the right remained, the soldiers put down their weapons. "We, too, are Christians," they said, "but we wish to worship without hypocrites."*
Now isn't this story just utterly amazing?! When you first start reading it, you are sure that those are the right are going to be martyrs. But... they're not!! Those soldiers had no intent of killing anyone in that church, they just wished to worship as well... but not with people who were just pretenders.
I think about this story almost every time I enter my church. I really make sure that I'm not just there to see my friends, or to be a "good" Christian. I want to be there to learn more and more about my God.
I also question probably on a daily basis if I would be willing to die for my faith.
And right now, I'm pretty confident that I would choose to go over to the right side. Now, I know that it is a lot different to say such a thing right now, when I'm in the comfort of my home, with police who don't believe in killing anyone for their indevidual faith beliefs, just a few miles away. Would I honestly be able to answer, "yes, I am willing to die for my faith" when there is a gun pointed at my head, and all my friends and family are on the left side of the room?
Now, I'd still love to say that yes, even then I'd still go over to the right side. Though, to be completely honest with you, If I did choose that, I would probably be shaking in my boots the entire time, questioning if I should run across at the last moment.
I would really hope I would be confident in my desistion to stay on the right.
And I can honestly tell you that I would rather die a strong, true Christian, then live a life as a hypocrite.
Which would you choose?
*Extreme Devotions, by. The Coauthors of JESUS FREAKS
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