“For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.” – 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12
John Balca was one of the early pioneer missionaries in Eastern Europe. He was particularly focused on the country of Yugoslavia from the 1930-1950s. In his autobiography, he writes of how an angry police officer beat him in Janosik as he was performing a wedding ceremony.
“When I confirmed my faith in God and His existence the third time, he became furious because he could not force me to deny God. He snatched up a revolver and began to beat me with it, raining blows all over my body. He thought with this outburst he would scare me into submission. In his furious anger, he hollered, ‘Where was God when the fascists were murdering our women and children? How could He have watched this awful injustice?’ As he was ranting and raving, I suddenly felt sorry for him. I pitied him because he was under the influence of the devil, not knowing he was blaspheming God who is a God of love who loves all people. I was just getting ready to reach out to him and comfort him as an unhappy soul who was on his way to hell when he hit me in a sensitive spot on the chest near the heart, and I began to lose consciousness. Only then did he stop beating me for fear of killing me. He became afraid because President Tito had just passed a law that killing was no longer allowed until there had been a fair trial.”
John was taken to prison, but that night the once angry police officer led John out of prison and said, “‘You need to teach people to tolerate each other in love so that people live in peace one with another.’ I replied, ‘We certainly do that, because we know that our God is a God of love, and He wants to save everyone who believes in Him and repents of his sins.’ Then he curtly dismissed us, ‘Get on the train and go home, not back to Janosik!’We traveled home, and on the way, we praised the Lord for giving us patience and for counting us worthy to suffer for Him like the apostles.”
Live your life worthy of Jesus Christ. When you do, the Lord will bless you with greater opportunities. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for the wonderful news of the Gospel and be encouraged to let Jesus shine through in all that you do.
“God, the King, wants his royal children to live lives worthy of their paternity and position.” – J.I. Packer
God’s Word: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
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