Don’t Cry

“But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today…’” Hebrews 3:13, NASB.

Her cell phone rang. I got up from the table to leave the room momentarily while she answered the call. Before I made it out the door, I looked back at my friend, Chi-san*. Her head hung down. Thinking she was just tired, I called back jokingly to her in Japanese basically saying, "Don't cry."

She lifted her head, and I left the room. When I returned to the room, I learned that the call had been from her mom. With her eyes overflowing with tears, Chi-san told me that her grandfather had passed away. He had been sick for some time. She had visited him in the hospital and had wanted to share Christ with him, but hadn't.

In fact, she said except for her younger sister, no one in her family knows she has trusted Christ. Her younger sister discovered her reading a Bible one day and asked her, "Did you become a Christian?" She told her sister she had.

Chi-san wants to share Christ boldly with her family but at the same time is fearful to do so.

*Names changed to protect the privacy of the local person. Story is an excerpt from the newsletter of a Pacific Rim worker in Japan.

Pray that:

Chi-san will grow in her faith, and become bolder in her witness.

Chi-san’s family will come to faith in Christ.

Pacific Rim workers in Japan will have wisdom, love and perseverance in helping Japanese Christians to mature in the faith.

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