Troublesome Boy
"Shut up! And stop bugging me about all these church stuff, I'm not interested, go away and talk to someone else" I shouted at Steven (one of the older youths from church).
I stormed passed him in a crowded main street with a burning anger within me. I don't understand why he keeps telling to go to church during weekdays? I have no need to go to church; I have better things to do with my time.
A week quickly went by, and some how I bumped into Steven again. And yet again he started talking about the weekday fellowship.
"Shut up man! I don't care about your fellowship or YOU, so go and bug someone else! You do this to me everytime you see me, please LEAVE me alone!"
This time I nudged him out of my way, he seemed shocked and hurt after I nudged passed him. What a wimp I thought to myself, can't even take alittle bit of physical contact. I just ignored his reaction, and carried on walking.
I carried on walking for about few minutes then I sat down on a bench next to the main street, waiting for a bunch of my non-church friends.
As soon as my friends arrived, they insulted me with few names, and I insulted them back with a few different ones.
Then one of them said "I'm skint man, lets make some money."
Then the rest of them said, "lets do the usual then!"
"No, it's not right for us to do that kind of thing." I quickly replied
"Shut up wimp! If you don't want to do it, then you can crawl back to the hole you came from." Screamed one of my so-called friend and he pushed my head backwards forcefully, and it strained some of my muscle on the back of my neck.
The entire bunch of my so-called friends got up and started heading towards their first target. To my horror, they are heading straight for Steven.
"Oh no, not Steven" I whispered in despair.
At first I thought they would just ask him for some spare change, and try to con him into giving more cash to them. But then I realised Steven chatted to them for a few minutes and handed to them a couple of church leaflets.
He's preaching to them I thought to myself, how are they going to react? I just looked on in despair. At first they laughed abit, then they became really annoyed as Steven talked on.
Then all of a sudden the entire situation seems to explode into something out from a movie. All I saw was that one of my so-called friends punched Steven in the stomach, then knock him onto the ground and started kicking and beating him like he was nothing.
While Steven was on the ground being kicked and punched, the rest of my so-called friends joined in, as it was good fun to beat someone up. They just continue to kick and punch him like he was the greatest sinner in the world deserving to be beaten. The expression on their faces seems to grow from fun into hatred; they started to kick and punch even harder than before. Their faces began to be filled with extreme hatred and anger.
My entire body froze as I watched in horror. I didn't know what to do. I cannot believe my so-called friends are doing this to a guy they don't even know. Why are they doing this? What has Steven ever done to them?
Suddenly my heart was filled with sorrow and sympathy; I can no longer bear to watch this any longer. I had to do something and do it fast; I can't let an innocent guy get beat up for no reason at all.
I quickly ran over and pulled some of my so-called friends away from Steven, and tried to block some of the blows, which were still coming from the others, but there was too many of them. Before I knew what was happening, I was flattened onto the ground and being kicked and punched along side Steven.
"What am I doing?" I said to myself.
Not only that I couldn't help Steven; Now I'm being beaten up myself!
I screamed from the bottom of my heart to God, "God, if you are real, then why do you let innocent people get beat up like this? If you are loving, then why do you let your people go through such suffering?"
Then suddenly everything went blank; I no longer feel any pain, hear any sound.
Then the next thing I knew I was in ward 17 in St Nicolas hospital. That beating was one of the worst beatings I've ever had, but thank God I didn't receive any permanent damage, I just had some bruises and cuts, and I've learnt a great lesson.
Thinking back now, that was about three and a half years ago, but I still remember it like yesterday. The love and compassion, which Steven showed, really touched my heart. I didn't know if Steven really had love for me or for my so-called friends, but he didn't file any charges to anyone. He just accepted that the entire incident was a lesson from God. He didn't complain to anyone about the beating he had suffered, but instead he gave thanks to God for no permanent damage to himself and me.
He evened believe it was the will of God for it to happen, just to turn ME back from my unrighteous way. I do not know what he said was true or not, for who knows the will of God except God himself. But there is something that I KNOW,
"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the suffering of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."
(1 Peter 4:12-13)
From that short passage I really understood why Steven always give thanks to God even when he is undergoing extreme suffering. He doesn't focus on things, which happens now; he doesn't care about the sufferings he has to go through now. All he cares about is the future glory, when Jesus comes again, he will also be there rejoicing with Christ.
I really admire Steven for his faith and belief. He has no doubts about the future glory, he has no doubts about the suffering is only for a little while. I truly believe he will rejoice with Christ when he comes again.
Will I ever have this kind of faith that Steven had? I truly do not know.
Will I be able to endure the suffering just like Steven did? I truly cannot tell you the answer. But there is something I can tell YOU, I do go to fellowships every week, I do attend as many bible studies as I can. Why? Maybe I can't bear such sufferings like Steven; maybe my faith is not as strong as Steven's. But I can sacrifice alittle of my time to attend fellowships; and I can try harder to attend bible studies. Maybe, just maybe God might count those sacrifices as alittle sufferings. Who knows? Only God knows!
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