COST COUNTING
His name is C.Y. and he's a present day hero of the Faith! He might disagree with my opening sentence, but I don't think you will after you read his testimony. CY Kim is a Christian in Korea. In his youth, Mr. Kim came to the United States and went to Johnson Bible College, then on to Cincinnati Christian Seminary.
After he graduated, he went back to Korea and became the president of a Bible College there for over 20 years. One day, after returning from a trip, CY found that his home church had been taken over by the Unification Church (Moonies). His immediate response was to speak out, and speak out he did, that is until he was arrested and thrown in prison.
Imagine what it must have been like for him to stand up for his faith,to speak out for what is right and true, to point out the injustice of a situation and then be arrested as the criminal! Sounds like a nightmare, doesn't it? How would you react? How would you cope? Would you wonder, "Hey, God why did you let this happen? Would you drop into despair? Listen to some of CY's words and be humbled. I have left his words unedited because while they may not be the most perfect English you've ever read, they get the point across perfectly! CY wrote to me in response to a bundle of letters our Youth Group sent him:
"Grant, a long testimony to make short, I have come to believe that I'm assigned to be in prison to do His work among many inmates and guards who also need to be saved by His Precious blood. . . . I'm in here to bring the Light in the dark place and the "Hope" for despaired inmates. It is my privilege to have the opportunity and experiences to minister to individuals in the cell whom might otherwise not be reached. I would rather be in prison with Jesus than to be free and never consider Him with my whole heart.
Grant, I'm neither ashamed nor afraid to be in prison. No matter what men may do to me even beat me or lie to me, make false accusations against me, persecute me, they will never take away my faith in Him and undo my love for Jesus and His Church. No amount of chains or iron bars, any human device can stop the spread of Gospel inside of these high prison walls, as long as I'm a Christian and preaching Jesus, I want to stand up firm for Jesus in the truth that I believe, no matter what it may cost me even life,"though my foe may slay me, I will still serve my Lord" is my prayer and trust. I regret that I have but one life to offer for my Master who suffered and died on the cross to save a sinner like me.
We are sowing Gospel seed in sweat and tears at this tough mission field in prison. My cell is 6' x 6' like a closet if I take out the space of a Korean style toilet in the cell, living area is much smaller than. The worst thing about this cell is that unheated all the time in Winter when our weather is like in Chicago in the States, which caused me to have frostbitten toes all over. A pitcher of water in the cell was frozen up for overnight. I was nearly frozen to death but nothing can stop me preaching of Jesus until my last breath. My age is against me to sleep on the hard wooden floor under a couple of blankets and like a wooden log for a pillow. The hard labor for seven days a week must carrying out under inadequate diet so that I'm losing weight and have back [problems]. How I miss to eat meat and some good protein means I feel like I can eat rats. Yes, our Christianity costs us and how about yours?"
There is much more that I could share from this letter, but I think the above is enough for anyone to chew on in one sitting. Let me emphasis two quotes from his letter that hit me between the eyes: First, He says, "I would rather be in prison with Jesus than to be free and never consider Him with my whole heart." Notice that CY doesn't say, I would rather be in prison with Jesus than free without Him. Such an either/or statement would be easier for me to take than the statement he gives. CY would rather be in prison than to be free and never consider Him with his whole heart. He's saying that a whole hearted devotion to Jesus Christ is worth paying the price of a 6' x 6' cell, with no heat, no meat, hard labor seven days a week and terrible separation from his wife and children. Seems to me that his attitude is quite a contrast to many churches today who want to make coming to Christ and living for Christ as quick and easy as possible. We don't seem to preach much on Jesus' command to pick up our cross and follow Him. Commitment, sacrifice, submission are all words many avoid these days, but at what cost? How many of us really understand these words of Paul? "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."(Phil 3:10-11) Do you consider Jesus with your whole heart? Is your desire to know Him strong enough to want to know the fellowship of sharing in his suffering?
Second, CY goes on to say, "Yes, our Christianity costs us and how about yours? " I have to admit this is the sentence that the Lord used to pierce my heart. Sometimes I think my Christianity has cost me a lot. It has meant that my family and I have had to move from family and friends. It has meant added pressures, added stress, added sorrow just because I'm part of so many lives-- often it has meant loneliness. But, I've received so much more than what I've put in. My faith hasn't cost me much at all, especially when I consider someone like CY. And if I dare to look at what my faith has cost my Lord, the contrast is broadened to infinite proportions! It is so easy to become self-centered and to think that we've given so much for the Kingdom, but that's the wrong attitude. The question we really need to be asking ourselves is, why haven't we given more?
This letter from CY is a wake up call. People are suffering for Christ all over this world of ours, but they are being rewarded by bearing much fruit! CY has been able to reach 300 inmates with the Good News of the Gospel. These are people he would never have reached otherwise. CY has a deeper understanding of the love of Christ, of the sustaining power of Christ, of the enduring peace of Christ then perhaps you and I will ever have. This week, take some time and count the cost. Take a good long look at what your salvation has cost our Lord. Take a look at how much you've given in return. How great is your desire to know Jesus with your whole heart? The answer to that question is what will make or break a true hero of the Faith.
I ask you on CY's behalf to pray for his ministry in the prison and to also pray for his safety and release. If you feel moved by the Lord to contact him , you can at the address below. Be aware that his letter writing resources are limited and he may not be able to respond to every letter.
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Update: This article was written in the Winter of 1997. Last Summer (1998) CY was out of prison and in the States visiting some churches. He has since begun a new mission among the Chinese in mainland China.