Extreme Smuggler

Watchman Nee, the Chinese church leader, had only six hours. He must lead the guard in front of his prison cell to Christ so that his letter of encouragement to Christians outside the prison could be delivered.

Chairman Mao’s government was infuriated by the spread of Christianity in China. To stop the spread of this “foreign cult,” they forced out or killed all foreign missionaries and sent thousands of Chinese church leaders to prison or “reeducation through labor” camps. But the church still grew.

When the police discovered that Nee’s beautiful, powerful letters of encouragement were making their way out of the prison and into the hands of Christians, they doubled the number of guards and never allowed a guard to stand outside Nee’s cell more than once. They shortened shifts to six hours, hoping Nee would not have time to convert the guard.

Nee told the guard about the Father’s love and willingness to send His own Son to die on the cross so the guard could live forever in heaven. “Communism cannot get you to heaven,” he said. “Only the blood of Jesus Christ can do that.”

Five hours into the sermon, with tears streaming from his eyes, the guard placed his trust in Christ. Yet another soul was won for the kingdom, and yet another of Watchman Nee’s letters would be safely delivered.

Response

If Christian martyrs teach us anything, it is that we must use creative energy to promote the gospel. Their ingenuity, courage, and craftiness ought to awaken our spirit for spreading the Good News. While not everyone has the opportunity to smuggle Scriptures into restricted areas, we can still be willing servants for the kingdom. It might mean deliberately putting ourselves in new, often uncomfortable situations. We can’t share Christ if we avoid interacting with unchurched people or hide our faith in their presence. A new method of witness always risks consequences. But we should always be willing to take the risk instead of settling for mediocrity. Which describes your evangelistic life today? Mundane and mediocre? Or creatively energetic for Christ?