Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Encouraging Kindness

Here is another Voice of the Martyrs Story I found encouraging! I hope it blesses you too...

Barto was on the brink of starvation. Once a Communist Party official and prosecuting attorney, he was now considered expendable by the same party. He was sentenced to labor in a Romanian prison camp. His stomach, once full, was now wasting away. He wondered how much longer he could go on.

Seeing Barto’s frail stature, a fellow prisoner came up to him and offered to share his rations of food. “Thank you, my friend,” he said to the other prisoner. “How long must you be here?” Barto asked as he woofed down the food. “Twenty years,” replied the prisoner. His eyes seemed to question Barto. “What crime did you commit?” “I was tried and sentenced for giving food to a fugitive pastor who was being chased by the police,” the man stated calmly. Barto noticed his voice didn’t carry bitterness like Barto had heard from so many others. “Who gave you such a harsh punishment for doing a good deed?” demanded Barto. The prisoner replied humbly, “Sir, you were the state prosecutor at my trial. You don’t recognize me now, but I remember you.” The man went on. “I am a Christian. Christ taught us to reward evil with good. I wished then for you to realize that it is right and good to give food to a hungry man—even your enemy. Now, I can show you.” Barto began that day to understand that his own spiritual needs far outweighed his physical ones.

Kindness is the way to our enemies’ hearts. And it may do something for their souls. God uses kindness as his strategy of choice when dealing with us. Instead of giving us exactly what we deserve for our offenses against him, he deals with us kindly. His kindness is an example of how we should fashion our own approach to those who offend us. Kindness arrests their attention. It is as unexpected as it is undeserved. Like Barto, our kindness toward an enemy may awaken a spiritual hunger for the source of our compassion. However, regardless of their response, we must follow the example of our Lord when dealing with our enemies. Who needs your kindness today?

6 comments:

SavannahLynn said...

Great Post Lauren!

William Kingson said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
William Kingson said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Marks of Faith said...

Ok, this comment has nothing to do with the post it is left on...all I can say is what you shared with J.O. about W.K. was amazing...what a great A.F.D. story...I have not laughed so hard in a long while. Enjoyed the blog! My darlings really need to study modern day royalty a bit more it seems. I died when I saw the pic! Good job!

"Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!" ; )

Lauren said...

I'm glad somebody got a kick out of the joke Jen :) I know I spent the night in misery over the fact that I did you know what to my best friend :( But on the bright side I'm sure we will look back and laugh one day, when we are old ladies maybe. Or if we ever take that coveted trip to Scotland and happen to see W.K in person!

Tell J.O. I love her as much, if not more, than ever!

Lauren Ashley

Marks of Faith said...

LOL! I would say, don't loose any sleep about the "incident." Your B.F. will be constant till the day she dies.

*I am still rolling on the floor laughing!*

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