I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. 27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. 28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. 2 Corinthians 11

Sometimes I wonder if I’m any kind of follower of Christ. Saturday night I fell ill. I mean “sick as a dog.” For 24 hours, I ate nothing and was laid up in bed. On Sunday I had no thought of attending church service. For me that was bad, a trial, a tribulation. I didn’t go through it for the good of the Kingdom. In fact, I didn’t go through it voluntarily. I just point it out as evidence of what a wimp I am. It doesn’t take much adversity for me to consider it a trial.

If I review what Paul went through I don’t see anything that I’ve suffered. I haven’t been through anything like that. If I think I’m having a rough time, I look through Foxe’s Book of Martyrs or google “persecuted church.” My brother Christians have in the past and are now going through hell on earth for their faith. They do so bravely and voluntarily.

I’m getting a little sick hearing about how tough it is to be a Christian in America these days. Seriously? Being marginalized and being ashamed to say grace before eating a meal in public isn’t persecution. Not having “Christians” elected to public office isn’t the same as being beaten or shipwrecked. Spending an hour listening to a sermon in an uncomfortable pew isn’t torture.

I know it’s not what I do for Christ that saves. Nonetheless I am embarrassed for how little I’ve done in response to what He has done for me.  I know that by trusting in Him and because of His death I will spend eternity with Him. I’m just figuring that I will be on the last row or in the smallest of mansions. I will be amazed at what others have done in response to what He did. I wonder if in wiping away every tear, if every regret and the knowledge of how much more I could have done will also be gone.