Mass Abduction at Nigerian School

The recent spate of attacks on churches and schools in Nigeria continued on Friday when 303 schoolchildren and 12 teachers were abducted from a Catholic school. Fifty of the 303 managed to escape over the weekend but the remainder are still in captivity. The attacks are the latest in a long string of violence carried out on religious minorities—particularly Christians—in Nigeria. Two people were killed and 38 briefly kidnapped at a church on Tuesday in what has been a sustained targeting of churches.

The violence previously led the U.S. State Department to designate Nigeria a “country of particular concern,” which initiates a process to craft and implement a plan to combat the violence. This week’s events add urgency to that process.

Analysis and eternal perspective: “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matt 10:22). A story like this one is horrific and shocking, and yet it is consistent with what scripture says about how the world will treat Jesus followers. Following Jesus comes at a price—a reality that is easy to take for granted when living in relative peace and safety.

Scripture is also abundantly clear about both God’s view of the persecuted and our role in responding to the persecution of our brothers and sisters.

First, God calls the persecuted ‘blessed’ and says the kingdom of heaven belongs to them (Matt. 5:10). The following verses instruct the persecuted to rejoice when they are persecuted, because it bonds them with the prophets of old and seals a reward in heaven (Matt. 5:11-12). In sum, God’s heart is with the persecuted and He has promised to restore them to Himself for all eternity.

Next, you and I are to intentionally choose solidarity with those enduring persecution. Hebrews 13:3 instructs us to remember the persecuted “as if you yourselves were suffering.” Human instinct is to create separation from suffering as a defense mechanism, but you and I are called to be with those suffering to the point the world sees no distinction between them and us. This may very well mean taking on more personal persecution than we otherwise would have, but remember, you will be called ‘blessed’ and inherit eternity as a result!

The following article originally appeared in Thann’s “The Equipped” Weekly Newsletter. For more information on Thann’s weekly email, click here.