Lo Lieu cautiously walked down the crowded street in China, looking over her shoulder to make sure she wasnt being followed or recognized. She passed another poster showing her face and listing the reward of almost six hundred dollars for her arrest. When Lieu was just seventeen, she left home to be Gods servant. She founded a fellowship organization that helped to establish unregistered house churchesillegal in the eyes of the Communist government. Her work put her in contact with foreign Christians who would smuggle Bibles into the country. Almost ten years into Lieus ministry, the police arrested her. She endured intense questioning. One time she was beaten so badly that she lapsed into a coma for several hours. But Lieu refused to give the authorities information on the believers with whom she worked and their activities. Months later, she was released after revealing nothing to the police about her work, but she was still under surveillance. A few years later, she and five others were arrested, and all her belongings were confiscated. This time she was sentenced to three years in a labor camp. Lieu was released after serving her sentence, but she is still a target of the police. Despite the threat of arrest, Lieu continues to live as a fugitive for Christ, committing the crime of loving Jesus and sharing that love with others.[i]Think about this: If there was a warrant out for the arrest of all committed Christians, who would turn you in to the authorities? Would your gracious spirit and appreciative greeting each week as you shopped tip off the local grocer to your identity? Would fellow parents in the carpool line know to identify you as a potential believer by the courteous way you patiently wait your turn? Would others in your workplace debate whether or not to turn you in, as they had concrete evidence of your faith in Christ? Would your own family wrestle with the decision to phone the police? Or would they convince themselves that your attitude and actions did not actually match the description of committed Christian? What do you think? What should you do?[/i]
who would turn you in to the authorities? Would your gracious spirit and appreciative greeting each week as you shopped tip off the local grocer to your identity? Would fellow parents in the carpool line know to identify you as a potential believer by the courteous way you patiently wait your turn? Would others in your workplace debate whether or not to turn you in, as they had concrete evidence of your faith in Christ? Would your own family wrestle with the decision to phone the police? Or would they convince themselves that your attitude and actions did not actually match the description of committed Christian? What do you think? What should you do?
_________________Sandra Miller
