This is the question my 11-year-old daughter asked me. I love how she’s not afraid to ask the hard questions – and is already considering if faith in Jesus is worth the cost. It is a question worth having the answer to – so I did my best to answer her great question.
“Because this short, temporary life is just not as important as the next eternal one”, I explain to her dismay.
“What!? Well this life is important to me! I’m not going to get my head chopped off over a word! I’ll just say I’m not a Christian. What does it matter? I will still know I believe in Jesus and God.” She retorts, angry that I am apparently (to her) not worried about her little life. Which, of course, I do more than words can ever say, as all mothers know.
“I don’t like that God will let us die because of our faith.” She said matter-of-factly.
“Me either. But it’s really not about what we like or don’t like…we just don’t get to choose how we will die. Jesus didn’t want to die for his faith either – but he did. ”
Yep – no great answers to really great questions.
But I believe it’s true. I don’t want to suffer for my faith either. But great convictions convince others of their truth. No one is willing to suffer for a cause they do not believe in – but when people all over the world will suffer and die because of what they do believe…people take notice.
There’s something about that kind of faith – that kind of conviction – that causes people to want to know if it’s true.
The faith that convicts people to love, then that love produces good deeds and helps others – and then others take notice and wonder why someone would love them enough to help them, for what reason?
That love transforms lives and minds and makes people question why they would want to be a Christian.
-Tara G.
