I’ve known around a half-dozen missionaries to Japan, all very admirable people. It’s a tough place to work. Christianity hasn’t taken hold in Japan the way it has in places like Korea. It’s difficult to be a missionary in Japan, but not nearly as bad as it was in the 17th century when hundreds of Christians were martyred during the rule of the Shoguns. They are commemorated today.

On February 5, 1597, 26 Christians, including European missionaries and Japanese converts were crucified in Nagasaki, Japan, by order of the samurai Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The group included six Franciscan friars, three Jesuit missionaries and 17 Japanese lay persons Despite torture and the persecution, they remained steadfast in their faith and their martyrdom. 

It’s become popular for some Christians to claim they are being persecuted in our county, but that often means somebody wished them happy holidays instead of merry Christmas or that they were prevented from blasting a Christian prayer over the loud speakers at a kid’s football game. That’s not persecution. 

Christianity has preserved numerous stories about martyrs, women and men and children who were put to death because of their faith in Jesus. There are also some stories preserved about people who were Christians, but gave up the faith when faced with real persecution. I wonder what I would do faced with the choice? How about others? I’m concerned because I saw things in my ministry where people would quit the church just because the service time got changed from 11:00 to 10:30.

May we all grow in faithfulness.

Read Luke 17:5 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne