After I had written about Purple Hearts for service to our country, I could not help but wonder how many men and women, from the resurrection of Christ to now, would have earned a Purple Heart for service in the Lord's army! The numbers would be staggering and impressive. They would also be humbling for the numbers of us who bear no scars or wounds received for service. We have the Good Conduct medal and that is it. Some have not even earned that award.
We know that in these times there are those who have suffered and died for their faith. The numbers would be staggering if we knew them. It has been so through the ages. In the New Testament the first one to die for his faith was Stephen. He was stoned to death. Paul (then known as Saul) watched the event with approval. Later in his life Paul would say: "I bear on my body the marks of Jesus" (Galatians 6:17.) He had been stoned and beaten more than once.
Two early books, Book of Martyrs by Foxe and Men Of The Covenant by Smellie give graphic accounts of men and women dying because of their faith in Christ. Some of the names are: Agatha, Agnes, Alban (the first known martyr in Great Britain), Chrysostom, Ignatius, who was heard to say in the arena before lions tore his body, "I am the wheat of Christ. I am going to be ground with the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread", Jerome who burned at the stake, Andronicus, Ann Audebert, Babylas,James Bainham, Robert Barnes, Maurice Blanc, and on the list goes. In the halls of Columbine High School a young girl refused to renounce her faith and died.
Have we seen the last one to be injured, or even die for one's faith? Never believe that! If radical Islam has it's way there will be millions more. Our Christian walk and way is easy compared to many who have followed the way of the Cross in places of great danger.
Facing such a battle for our faith what would the Lord see; a conscientious objector, or a wearer of the Lord's Purple Heart?
