Extreme Dedication

Gladys Staines had every reason to be bitter and angry. No one would have blamed her for leaving India. But when fanatical Hindus in the Indian town of Manoharpur murdered her husband and two sons, Gladys and her thirteen-year-old daughter, Esther, decided to stay. She would continue her work with the lepers in the area.

Her husband, Graham, and their two young sons, Philip and Timothy, were killed while they were sleeping in their jeep outside of a church. They were there to minister to the congregation. However, before the sun came up that dreadful morning, a band of approximately one hundred Hindus poured gasoline on their vehicle and set it on fire. The Hindus, armed with bows and arrows, then surrounded the vehicle, preventing their escape.

Gladys said that Graham had never set out to evangelize among the Hindus. He was simply there demonstrating the love of Christ. As a result, the Australian couple saw many convert to Christianity and burn their idols. The dangers of their witness never deterred their dedication to demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ.

At the memorial service for Graham, Philip, and Timothy, Gladys and Esther sang:

Because he lives, I can face tomorrow,

Because he lives, all fear is gone,

Because I know he holds the future,

And life is worth the living just because he lives.

(“Because He Lives” by William J. and Gloria Gaither)

Response

Extreme dedication is never daunted by danger. Worries don’t weaken it. It isn’t even concerned about consequences. Dedication only knows one thing: the task at hand. For many people, losing their family to hostile foreigners would be a rational excuse for abandoning their mission. Not so for those driven by extreme dedication. Although they may be devastated by the trial, their determination to move forward is undeterred. God alone can give us the spiritual strength necessary to resume our mission despite the misery. Do you find yourself trying to determine whether or not to continue in God’s work? Has something happened to take you off course? Ask God for daily dedication to stick to the task.