Two Christians traversed the Libyan desert with the hope of finding a greener pasture beyond the shores of their native country. One was called Faith and the Other was called Thomas. They were extremely hungry and thirsty, the sun against their backs drained them of the fluids that kept their throats watered, the desert also compounded it but because they were almost close to their destination, they encouraged themselves to move on.
They were about crossing the border when they, unfortunately, stumbled into two heavily armed Libyan soldiers. The soldiers scrutinized them, queried them and resolved to lay them to rest (kill them) for trespassing. It was a harsh resolution by the soldiers, one that scared these two Christians almost to death, before their time. They were tied up; both hands and feet while the soldiers gathered somewhere to discuss what manner of death 'processes' to put them through.
It was the season of the Ramadan and the Muslims had gone deep into their fast. The soldiers came around and untied them and commanded them to sit still on the floor. They asked for their names and Faith mentioned his name. ‘My name is Faith’, he said. Thomas reasoned intuitively and concluded that since these soldiers were Libyan soldiers, they must be Muslims. ‘My name is Mohammed Abdul-Malik’, Thomas feigned an Islamic name. ‘You are Muslim?’ one of the soldiers asked almost taken aback by Thomas’ reply. ‘Yes, I am’, Thomas’ reply was received with an inquiring look by Faith, whose eyes were now fixed upon him. ‘well, Abdul, you know we are in our Holy month of Ramadan and I believe that as a Muslim you are in your fast, isn’t that right?’ One of the soldiers asked Thomas. ‘Al-ḥamdu lil-lāh, I am’ Thomas surprisingly pulled an Arabic phrase to support his claim.
One of the soldiers had left to fetch something for the other soldiers and was now unpacking his bag pack. He removed two loaves of bread fully buttered and two disposable cups sealed, but one could tell it had something hot steaming in them. It was a hot coffee liaised with milk. The soldier gave a loaf of bread, first, to Faith and gave him his coffee which was still hot in the disposable cup. He was about giving the other to Thomas when one of the soldiers told him to hold his peace. ‘Cheer up brother, the other one is a Muslim and would not need that, he is in his Holy fast’. He said. The soldiers watched Faith ‘devour’ the bread, which he so tore to pieces and in style, that they gave him the green light to take the other one which was meant for Thomas. It was an offer he gladly accepted.
The attitude displayed by these two Christians in the above illustration is one common in most people who profess to be Christians. When they are faced with temptations, they are quick to dig a holes, break through iron bars, compromise their stand, with the view to getting out of these temptations, forgetting what the scripture says concerning adversity. Let’s take a few of them:
Trials and Temptations (James 1:2-4)
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
New Living Translation of (1 Peter 4:1)
So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin.
A compromise which is as a result of a prestigious position you enjoy (Amos 7:10-17). I encourage you to take a stand like Amos and defy the order of the day; the order which sets men (like Amaziah) to compromise their stand for the niceties of the palace.
May we remain strong in the face of adversity. Come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.