Walking on Eggshells

This morning a mission leader (and friend of mine) sent out an e-mail in which he asked us to pray about a property dispute his ministry is having with trespassing neighbors.  In the U.S. it would be a relatively simple matter of researching the property deed and clearing up the dispute, but in this case it's not so easy.  My friend lives in a country where Christians are a very small minority, and where -- at any time -- violent persecution can break out against him and all our fellow Christians there.  They are walking on proverbial eggshells, and have been for many years.  One false step, one protest too many against injustice and corruption, and property disputes would be the least of their concerns.  So I'm sure that my friend is weighing the risks of going to court against people from the majority religion, even though he has justice on his side.

This situation is incredibly common, repeated in virtually every country where Christians are a minority, where there is real danger in confessing faith in Jesus Christ.  Let us therefore pray for our brothers and sisters at risk, and remember Jesus' words in Matt. 10:32-33 -- "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven."  Join those who walk on eggshells by getting involved in cross-cultural ministries, and by standing up for your faith wherever you go.