The hard path

When the communists took over China in 1949, Wang Ming Dao was a young man pastoring a growing Shanghai church. “They can close our churches,” he said, “but they can’t keep us from worshiping God in our homes.” He then became one of the participants in the underground house-church movement.

Brother Wang was soon arrested, tried for being a “counter revolutionary,” and sentenced to prison. Soon, however, he was told, “If you sign a statement repudiating your Christian beliefs and promise not to encourage house-church worship, we will release you.” Wang came to the crossroads of his faith. “If I am outside prison,” he reasoned, “I can still influence people, but in prison, I can’t do much!” Satan played tricks with Wang’s mind. “Signing a piece of paper against my will doesn’t change how I feel in my heart,” he thought. So he signed the document and went home.

Then the gravity of his action sank in. “I have been a Judas who betrayed his Lord,” he told his friends. Heartbroken, he put a sign on his chest which read, “Judas – traitor!” and walked the streets. People thought he was crazy.

Finally he went to the authorities and said, “Put me back in prison. I will never again deny Jesus Christ!” They granted his request and he spent the next 22 years in prison. Soon his wife was also arrested and imprisoned. The two saw each other only three times in the next 20 years.

Brother Wang realized that the hard path is usually the right one. It leads to higher ground and eventually takes you to heaven – where you will be very glad you made the right choice.

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