From the Editors May 26, 2014 Issue

Prayer for Christians

The Editors

Christian persecution may seem like a thing of the past, but the human reality is that Christians are under attack not just by jihadists in the Middle East but also by Islamist radicals such as Boko Haram in Nigeria, and nationalist Buddhists in Sri Lanka. Other countries, such as Kenya, North Korea, Sudan, Indonesia, and Egypt, are affected also. The Christian Science Monitor Weekly’s article by Christa Case Bryant documents very well the plight of these individuals and churches (“What the Middle East would be like without Christians,” December 16, 2013).

One encouraging thought is what happened to the man Saul who, “breathing out threatenings and slaughter” against the early Christians, chose to head down the road to Damascus on his mission (see Acts 9:1–20). He had no idea that this journey would give him an indelible and inspiring role in Christian history.

The message of these two great spiritual leaders is clear: Hatred has no place in the heart of a Christian, even when it may seem justified.