An extreme choice

The Philippines: Peter

Peter felt it was worth the risk. He loved travelling with his Uncle Michael, an evangelist in the Philippines, to the remote villages where people were so hungry to hear about Christ.

The trips to villages were adventurous and sometimes dangerous, travelling through the thick forests for hours on end. People in the Philippines had been terrorized for many years by the New People’s Army, the arm of the communist party. Peter and his uncle often had to hide to keep away from danger. Peter loved the children and enjoyed seeing their eyes light up when they finally understood how much God loved them.

On Good Friday, the New People’s Army sought to put an end to his Uncle Michael’s ministry. So they captured Peter and threatened to put him to death if his uncle would not stop talking about Christ. Peter’s parents replied, “We cannot tell Michael to cease his work. However, we beg you to please return our son. He has done nothing wrong.”

Finally, with his hands tied behind his back, Peter heard his parents tell the soldiers, “To live is Christ and to die is gain.” And with those words, Peter went home to meet his Saviour that somber Good Friday. His Uncle Michael still tells the mountain villages about the power of Christ’s love and about his young, faithful nephew named Peter.

Risks are all about choice. Some people choose to risk their fortunes, betting on the most mundane activities. The outcome of a football game. The winner in a lap round the racetrack. The number of baskets a certain player makes in a night. Others risk their very lives by choosing self-serving activities with no eternal significance like drugs and alcohol. Jesus calls people to another choice altogether. He says we must choose to risk our earthly security in order to gain a heavenly reward for doing his will. Doing his will brings a greater reward than a cash payout at the racetrack or an artificial high from the latest drug. Have you experienced Jesus’ reward for risking your faith? Why or why not?

Excerpted from Extreme Devotion, a book of 365 true accounts of men and women who totally sold out for Jesus. You can order a copy of this book from our online catalogue or by contacting our office.