As a kindergartner in Romania during the Communist era, Cristina remembers her teacher asking, “How many of you kids go to church?” Brave Cristina stepped forward—alone. The teacher then reamed her out in front of the entire class. "Never, ever go to church again!" she demanded. Cristina protested, "But my parents go to church."
As often happens, word of Cristina’s brave classroom stand got around. A school caretaker named Natalie later approached Cristina quietly, asking her to sing a song from church. Natalie was curious—and hungry, for what she did not know.
Though Cristina may have felt a sense of residual fear, she nonetheless obliged the woman. As she sang, the message of that song struck Natalie's heart—an arrow of gospel truth. Among the words:
Someone knocked upon your door.
And no one opened it at all.
In the silence of the blackest night.
A Man stands there and weeps alone.
His face is nothing but deep wounds.
His chest is nothing but red blood.
Who are You, weary Stranger? Who are You?
Whose longing makes You roam?
For whom have countless lashes
Torn Your flesh without a pause?
What burden left that wound upon Your shoulder?
Later on, Cristina learned that, as the woman listened to her singing, she was so affected by the song's lyrics that she received Christ as Savior and was discipled in her faith. Years later, Cristina Olariu now manages a Christian radio station in Romania—and she's still singing songs about Jesus.
Here in America, you may have noticed it's becoming a bit more challenging to stand up and “sing a song” for Jesus. Spoiler alert: it's unlikely to get any easier.
Question: What is the song of your life saying about you? Is it a sweet melody of kindness and service toward your unsaved friends and neighbors? Do you sing a lyric of love for the lost—or a chorus of complaint about our culture?
People are listening! And sometimes, the best sermon is a song.
In speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.
1 Timothy 4:12
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