Are you a Christian? Danger ahead!

In today's world, it's dangerous to be a Christian!
Seriously.....we ourselves may be far removed from persecution, and feel that we aren't "qualified" to talk about it. But here are some facts as seen in reports released, from around the globe....

The country of Syria is in the midst of a bloody civil war -- at the start there were approximately 2.5 million Christians in the country. Five years later, the Chaldean Bishop of Aleppo reported that only 500,000 survived.  In Iraq, in 2003 there were about 1.5 million Christians; today they have dwindled to one-fifth of that number.
I found a Vatican Radio study that noted around half a billion Christians in the world are unable to express their faith freely, and that in 2016, around 90,000 were killed for their faith.  That is a little bit of a bright spot, since in 2016 the number was over 105,000.

Christians are the most persecuted religious group on the planet.

Recently, in China, an organization with ties to the Chinese Communist Party unveiled plans on how the government can enforce its restrictions on churches, including forced registration. Recent bans on unregistered church worship and on teaching Christianity to children have alarmed Christians there and across the world.

In Russia, beginning in July of 2016, authorities have prosecuted Christian churches and individuals for announcing upcoming services, for conducting home prayer meetings, for distributing religious-themed calendars, and for organizing a concert.

International Christian Concern reported that in September of last year, four Christians were killed in Hindi, Kenya, by al-Shabaab, the main persecution threat in Kenya. First, they ambushed and kidnapped a carpenter cutting timber in the forest. Due to the noise of the power saw, he didn't see the aggressors until too late.  The militants then went from house to house in the village and called out the other three victims, dragging them out into the street. The Christians were shot and then beheaded.
One of the village residents recounted the story, and said that the reason there were not even more people killed, as in 2014, was because the whole of the village is always alert at night. They have asked the government to set up one police post per every three villages, but this hasn't yet happened.

Are we so comfortable in our own lives that these stories fail to move us? We've never been threatened with prison. We've not been tortured for our faith. We've not have our property confiscated, or worse, had our family torn away because of our commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know full well that day may be coming. But Peter's listeners faced a hostile world.

Here is our focus passage for this week:

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. (I Peter 3:13-17) 

We have not yet paid that kind of price for our faith. Like I said, it may happen soon, in more places on this earth. But we have all faced the fear of witnessing to lost people about our Savior. Is it just our fear of conflict? Is it the sinful flesh within us, responding to the devil, who doesn't want us to witness? Whatever it is, we have all felt the churning stomach, the lump in our throat, and the thoughts, "Oh boy! I really need to talk to this person about Jesus! What do I say?"

Peter's theme in his letter so far has been our Christian witness in a hostile world. I truly believe that his words apply to us, whether we are facing torture for our faith, or whether we are just nervous about telling someone about Jesus.
Repeatedly, he has told us to witness; these verses are no exception. He is telling us yet again that the best witness in this world combines good behavior with thoughtful words, and all under the lordship of Christ.

We'll dig in more next time!