Lhamo Tseten, a 24-year-old Tibetan farmer took his politics
seriously, dead seriously. He is one of
seven Tibetans who have set themselves on fire this week in protest of
Beijing’s heavy-handed rule, as the protesters demand the return of the Dalai
Lama, their exiled spiritual leader.
No matter what our reaction to this horrific self-sacrifice, commitment
at this level is unsettling. Baptism by
fire was his ultimate attempt to gain empathy for a cause, which sadly may be a
lost one. There is another baptism by fire for a Kingdom
that will endure. John the Baptist
declared, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is
coming after me is mightier than I… He
will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matt. 3:10-11 NKJV). Lhamo’s death disturbed me. If one is willing to commit himself with
such total abandonment to a lost cause, how much more should we as believers be
willing to give our all to the One whose fire both empowers and purifies us as
we give witness to His cause? As
missionaries, let us be on fire with His eternal truth, “since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let
us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire”. (Heb. 12:28-29).
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