Virtually every day, now, we are seeing new headlines about Christians being kidnaped, beheaded, sold into slavery, and other vile things. This persecution is happening particularly in parts of the Middle East and Africa, but we hear of it in other Muslim dominated countries as well. It is such a horrific thing, but what is a person who lives outside of those places supposed to do? While it is nearly impossible for most people to take direct action, there are things we can do to make a difference.
Live the Life
The first thing we must do is to personally live a consistent Christian life. It is certainly possible to do the “right” things based on “wrong” beliefs, but that ends up being nothing more than empty works. The work of God in an individual’s life requires that the person be guided by God – and that can only happen when the life is truly and sincerely lived in relationship with God. The service you do to help our persecuted brothers and sisters begins right in your own heart. What is needed in this situation is not a political or military fix as much as a “heart” fix. God will only work through those whose lives are fixed on him.
Share Our Faith
The second thing we can do is to become active in sharing our faith. Obviously, most of us cannot directly share our faith with the ones doing all the evil. But there are people in positions of power and influence who can do things. That said, we cannot expect that our leaders will do the right thing when their hearts are not right with God. We need to get out of our comfort zones and be willing to share our faith with those who can do what we can’t. If there are more Christians, we will be more influential with our leaders. And when there are more Christian leaders, they are able to exert more influence for good in the world.
Pray for the Situation
A third thing we can do is pray. God works through the prayers of his people. He works to change hearts (which is the number one thing that needs to happen), but he is also able to affect situations. We need to be diligently in prayer for all concerned – those who are doing evil and those who are on the receiving end of evil. And we especially need to pray that God will accomplish his overall purpose – which is often something well beyond what we might grasp with our own understanding.
Pressure Our Politicians
Obviously, political pressure is not a be-all end-all. That said, God does work to accomplish his will through the lives of those he has led into the halls of political power. God wants all of us to “do good” in the places he leads us to serve, and this includes those he has led into political power. Since, in America, those politicians are our representatives, we need to let them know how we want them to represent us. In fact, we have a stewardship responsibility before God to use our influence with them to get them to do the right things.
Support Groups Who Are on the Ground
There is one more thing we can do. We can support those who are in a position to carry out work on the ground. Some of these people might be missionaries who are working to change hearts and minds by sharing the gospel. Others are associated with groups which are directly helping those who are being persecuted.
You Can Help
God may not be leading you to do everything, but he hears the cries of his persecuted children – who are our spiritual brothers and sisters – and speaks to all of us to do something. What will you do?