They Call Him Father

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:27-28, NAS.

In the English Center where I work, there is a man who has taught me a lot about God. He is not a staff member or even a friend of the center. As a matter of fact, we nicknamed the man Saul* because of his active opposition to our work. It is not uncommon for Saul to come into the center to intimidate the local girls who work here by cornering them and making threats.

Saul is very dedicated to his religion, and he has a group of followers who call him father. Saul teaches them to hate and confront followers of Jesus. He teaches them apologetic techniques to discredit what Christians believe.

How did Saul teach me about God? At first I’d cringe whenever I saw the man. His hostile demeanor made me fearful whenever he was around. I even had dreams about Saul leading the people, who I considered my friends, to physically hurt us. As I talked to the Lord about my fears He gave me 2 Timothy 1:7. He reminded me that in Christ I no longer have a spirit of timidity but of power and of love. Every time I see Saul, God reminds me of this precious truth, and I am not as fearful of him.

One of my friends that I met at the center seemed interested to know more about Jesus, so I gave him a DVD copy of the Jesus-Film in his heart language. He turned around and gave the DVD to Saul. Saul used the DVD as part of his next rage session on one of the precious local believers who works at the center. I felt so guilty that I had given the movie out, and it had led to the suffering of my dear sister. God gave me Colossians 4:3 to remind me that the proclamation of the Gospel sometimes includes chains, but it is still something to pray for and participate in actively.

Then my fear and guilt turned to anger at Saul. What gave him the right to be so mean and ugly? I felt rage welling up inside me. At that moment God gave me James 1:20. He gently reminded me that my anger would never accomplish the righteousness that He desired for me.

During our prayer times at the center, many staff members shared how they are thankful for Saul because he has caused them to seek God on a deeper level. One of the women who has taken the brunt of Saul’s ugliness said, “God has prepared me for this.” Such confidence in the face of persecution humbled me deeply.

Boldness has also resulted from Saul’s tirades. I remember one woman standing up to this spiritual bully. As he threatened her, she calmly replied, “You can do whatever you want to me, but I will NEVER stop sharing about my Jesus!”

I have learned a lot about God from this angry man who is a father to many other angry men in our city. Yet my prayer is that one day Saul will meet Jesus; he will be transformed; and he will learn how much he must suffer for the sake of God’s Kingdom as a modern day Paul.

*Name changed for security reasons

Pray that:

Believers suffering persecution in the Pacific Rim will have joy, boldness, and perseverance.

In the midst of persecution, believers will be open to the lessons that God wants to teach them.

Saul will become a Paul and be used mightily by the Lord to reach his people with the Gospel of peace.

Pacific Rim is a region of the International Mission Board, SBC.