Lausanne World Pulse – World Pulse Archives – World Pulse Archives

The Guatemalan Indian woman—a Christian—squatted beside the dusty mountain road, selling her handmade baskets. Traffic was light. She lived on the edge of poverty. To make matters worse, she was persecuted by passersby, who spat on her. But she persevered gallantly without complaint.

Her numbers are legion around the world. They rarely capture the attention of reporters. Only kidnapped or martyred missionaries make the news.

Yet news of suffering Christians does filter through, and when it does it’s often hard to separate facts from fiction, or exaggerations. Our e-mail boxes choke on global terror and stories of persecution—churches closed or bombed, meetings banned, pastors and people imprisoned and entire communities threatened with death and displacement.

To the global mix of hunger, war, disease and millions of homeless refugees we must add religious strife, which includes traditional Christians whose faith is inextricably linked with nationalistic fervor.

The church’s mission has always been to care for the hungry, sick, exploited, imprisoned and homeless. Bad as conditions are, they would be much worse without the faithful, compassionate ministrations of God’s people.

However, our culture psychologically conditions us to avoid suffering by all means possible. We strategize to avoid illness and hardships. We do not welcome pink slips and bad diagnoses. Unemployment and illness are not supposed to strike us. We are not supposed to be so outspoken or dogmatic about our faith that we risk ridicule and censure.

I’m amazed at how eagerly and generously we respond to suffering victims elsewhere, while we look to our prayers, government, big business, doctors, economists and scientists to keep us well, rich and happy. The shock waves reverberating from last September 11 have done little to dispel the notion that security and abundance are our birthrights, while poverty, hunger, homelessness and persecution belong to someone else in Africa.

Our missionaries straddle two worlds. As messengers of peace, salvation, education and health they offer both theology and technology to help suffering people. They know very well what God says about suffering and the mortal danger of trying to find happiness in better earthly conditions. We are aliens and pilgrims, called to suffer.

We follow Jesus into the depths of human needs and remind ourselves that his suffering models ours. We follow Paul who commended believers for their faith, courage and hope even in the face of severe persecution. We follow James who said that trials of many kinds should produce joy. We follow Peter who taught that suffering refines our faith. Our call to follow Jesus is a call to suffering.

Wars and disasters tell us to send food, blankets, tents and whatever is needed. Famines tell us to send food and people to drill wells. The persecuted church calls us to prayer and political action. But whatever our deeds of mercy, we must not shield people from suffering’s tutorial role in their faith. The gospel tells us not only how to be saved but also how to endure suffering and hardship.

Perhaps in our compassion and excitement to relieve suffering we have neglected to teach what God tells us about suffering. Those who go overseas with our blessings and abundance must also go with their suitcases packed with the biblical theology of suffering. Otherwise, we are not true to those whom we serve, nor to ourselves or to Scripture. Suffering permeates the Bible with a capital “S.” We are false teachers if we try to hide or dodge it.

February 8, 2002