Nikolai khamara was a criminal. Having been arrested and convicted for robbery, he was sentenced to prison for ten years in the former Soviet Union. There he shared the same jail cell with some Christians. They intrigued Nikolai because they were able to be joyful even in the midst of great suffering, even when everything seemed hopeless.
He noticed that when they had a crust of bread, they shared it with someone who had none. Mornings and evening they folded their hands and spoke softly – though Nikolai could not tell to whom – until a peaceful expression appeared on their faces.
One day as he sat with two of them, one asked Nikolai, “What brought you here?”
“Ah,” Nikolai waved his hand, “it was just my bad luck.” Then he stopped. “No. it wasn’t luck. It was because I am a man without a conscience. I did not care who I hurt.” He then related his life of crime and turned aside with a shrug. “I am a lost man.”
But before he could rise and walk away, a gnarled hand gripped his shoulder. “Wait friend,” one of the Christians said. “Let me ask you a question. What is the value of a ten-ruble note if you lose it somewhere?”
Nikolai turned back, a frown wrinkling his brow. “What do you mean? Ten rubles are ten rubles. If I lose them” – he shrugged – “I’m out.” Then he grinned. “But whoever finds them would be very happy.”
“Exactly,” said the Christian. “One more question. Suppose someone loses a gold ring. Would its value change?”
“What a foolish question! A gold ring is a gold ring. If you have lost it, somebody else will gain when he finds it. But its value doesn’t change.”
“Well, then,” said the Christian, “what is the value of a lost man? Even if he is an adulterer or murderer, he is still a man, and doesn’t his value remain the same?”
Nikolai nodded slowly.
“Every person is of such value that the Son of God forsook heaven and died on the cross to save him. God loves you, Nikolai. Nowhere in the Bible will you find Jesus asking someone what kind or how many sins he has committed. When He met men who had committed great sins, He said, ‘Be of good cheer. Your sins are forgiven.’ I also tell you that your sins are forgiven because Jesus died for you. All you have to do is believe.”
The Faithful Believer
Nikolai did believe, and when he was released, he joined the underground church. Then one day, his pastor was arrested by the Communists, who tortured him to get him to reveal how the Christians printed and distributed gospel tracks. But the pastor did not crack.
Finally, the interrogator said “Enough. We have a better way.” And he brought in Nikolai Khamara, who had also been arrested. “If you do not tell all the secrets, we will torture one of your members in front of you.”
“Oh, no. Nikolai, what should I do?” wailed Nikolai’s pastor.
“Don’t worry,” said Nikolai. “Just be faithful to Christ and do not betray him. I am happy to suffer for the name of Christ.”
But when the Communists prepared to gouge out Nikolai’s eyes, the pastor withered until Nikolai said, “When my eyes are taken away, I will see more beauty than I see with these eyes. I will see the Saviour. You just remain faithful to Christ to the end.”
When they moved to cut out his tongue, Nikolai calmed his frantic pastor by shouting, “Praise the Lord Jesus Christ! There, I have said the highest words anyone can say. What does it matter now if they cut out my tongue?”
In this way, the communists martyred Nikolai for the sake of Christ, even while he encouraged his pastor not betray the church.
[JESUS SAID,] “IF ANYONE ACKNOWLEDGES ME PUBLICLY HERE ON EARTH, I WILL OPENLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PERSON BEFORE MY FATHER IN HEAVEN. BUT IF ANYONE DENIES ME HERE ON EARTH, I WILL DENY THAT PERSON BEFORE MY FATHER IN HEAVEN.” MATTHEW 10:32-33
© Dave & Neta Jackson, The Complete Book of Christian Heroes.
Nikolai khamara was a criminal. Having been arrested and convicted for robbery, he was sentenced to prison for ten years in the former Soviet Union. There he shared the same jail cell with some Christians. They intrigued Nikolai because they were able to be joyful even in the midst of great suffering, even when everything seemed hopeless.
He noticed that when they had a crust of bread, they shared it with someone who had none. Mornings and evening they folded their hands and spoke softly – though Nikolai could not tell to whom – until a peaceful expression appeared on their faces.
One day as he sat with two of them, one asked Nikolai, “What brought you here?”
“Ah,” Nikolai waved his hand, “it was just my bad luck.” Then he stopped. “No. it wasn’t luck. It was because I am a man without a conscience. I did not care who I hurt.” He then related his life of crime and turned aside with a shrug. “I am a lost man.”
But before he could rise and walk away, a gnarled hand gripped his shoulder. “Wait friend,” one of the Christians said. “Let me ask you a question. What is the value of a ten-ruble note if you lose it somewhere?”
Nikolai turned back, a frown wrinkling his brow. “What do you mean? Ten rubles are ten rubles. If I lose them” – he shrugged – “I’m out.” Then he grinned. “But whoever finds them would be very happy.”
“Exactly,” said the Christian. “One more question. Suppose someone loses a gold ring. Would its value change?”
“What a foolish question! A gold ring is a gold ring. If you have lost it, somebody else will gain when he finds it. But its value doesn’t change.”
“Well, then,” said the Christian, “what is the value of a lost man? Even if he is an adulterer or murderer, he is still a man, and doesn’t his value remain the same?”
Nikolai nodded slowly.
“Every person is of such value that the Son of God forsook heaven and died on the cross to save him. God loves you, Nikolai. Nowhere in the Bible will you find Jesus asking someone what kind or how many sins he has committed. When He met men who had committed great sins, He said, ‘Be of good cheer. Your sins are forgiven.’ I also tell you that your sins are forgiven because Jesus died for you. All you have to do is believe.”
The Faithful Believer
Nikolai did believe, and when he was released, he joined the underground church. Then one day, his pastor was arrested by the Communists, who tortured him to get him to reveal how the Christians printed and distributed gospel tracks. But the pastor did not crack.
Finally, the interrogator said “Enough. We have a better way.” And he brought in Nikolai Khamara, who had also been arrested. “If you do not tell all the secrets, we will torture one of your members in front of you.”
“Oh, no. Nikolai, what should I do?” wailed Nikolai’s pastor.
“Don’t worry,” said Nikolai. “Just be faithful to Christ and do not betray him. I am happy to suffer for the name of Christ.”
But when the Communists prepared to gouge out Nikolai’s eyes, the pastor withered until Nikolai said, “When my eyes are taken away, I will see more beauty than I see with these eyes. I will see the Saviour. You just remain faithful to Christ to the end.”
When they moved to cut out his tongue, Nikolai calmed his frantic pastor by shouting, “Praise the Lord Jesus Christ! There, I have said the highest words anyone can say. What does it matter now if they cut out my tongue?”
In this way, the communists martyred Nikolai for the sake of Christ, even while he encouraged his pastor not betray the church.
[JESUS SAID,] “IF ANYONE ACKNOWLEDGES ME PUBLICLY HERE ON EARTH, I WILL OPENLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PERSON BEFORE MY FATHER IN HEAVEN. BUT IF ANYONE DENIES ME HERE ON EARTH, I WILL DENY THAT PERSON BEFORE MY FATHER IN HEAVEN.” MATTHEW 10:32-33
© Dave & Neta Jackson, The Complete Book of Christian Heroes.
