Dying for Christ?

Have you ever wondered if you would truly die for Christ if the situation presented itself? Trust me I am not trying to be morbid, but just trying to ask an honest question. I recently thought of this again as one of my friends from the beginning of my Christian walk, endured this.

Recently in the news there was an attack on a small group from the International Assistance Mission (IAM). They gathered a group of dentist, eye doctors, and regular doctors who were traveling to Panjshir provinces in northern Afghanistan to provide health type aid in that region. After they were finished, they traveled back and were ambushed by Islamic militants. From here the details are still being flushed out but from a survivor of this attack said that they were surrounded by men with guns. Some reports have said that they were searched by the militants and many were found to have Christian bibles on them. The IAM is a Christian funded agency but they do not promote nor have them proselytize or try to convert people. Convinced that they were spies and trying to convert Muslims to Christianity, the fired upon some of them while some were placed on their knees and shot.
One of my friends from 2003-04, was among those people (1 of the 2 Americans killed). His name was Brian Carderelli. Now I am not going to say we were best friends or that we hung out all the time, but I did know him, and I did enjoy his love and humor. I spent most of the summer of 2004 getting to know him at Grace Bible Camp. He was a counselor and I visited frequently. I would get to hang out with the counselor's on their time off and Brian and I would joke about...well anything. He had a great sense of humor and a gentle spirit about him. When I had heard he was dead and how he died it sent me into contemplation. I knew he was in the presence of God, but I wonder what he was thinking at the time. Was he scared? Probably. Did he know what was going happen? Maybe, maybe not. But I would have to think that he knew the risk, and he knew where he was going. Though Brian had a Bible on him, he wasn't looking to be a martyr. He didn't go because he wanted to be that but to do a documentary on the aid work done by this organization. But he could have lied, said he was a Muslim too, or said that the others were but he wasn't. I know this sounds crazy but what would you do if several guns were pointed at you? Brian stood firm not because he was spouting theology or anything but he had to make a decision in his mind to stand firm and take the repercussions of having a Bible on him and owning up to it or lying to possibly save his life.

I don't know what he would wanted from his life, but I do know what he would want from his death: for people to see Christ. That they would know where he is at, and that they themselves would draw closer to His ever loving presence. As believers, we have to think about dying for Christ. Maybe not in some remote part of the Middle East but even where we live currently. And it may not be a physical death, but a death of compromise, a death of shame, a death of not speaking out or standing firm due to fear.

His death reminds me...
.......that I cannot be attached to the things in this world. The pursuit of possessions, the gross materialism type attitude I fallin to is not really true life. Jesus once said in regards to living this way that, "Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. (Luke 17:33) Brian lived a life just focused on serving others and Christ. He was prepared for Christ' return by serving and illustrating the kingdom here on earth. Hopefully his story will be able to help family and friends see where his passion was: Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

On a lighter note, here is a goofy pic of the things Brian and I used to do. Brian is on the left.
Be Blessed!