For almost two years, many of us followed the story of Pastor António Monteiro dos Anjos the Seventh-day Adventist pastor imprisoned in the country of Togo. After 22 months of incarceration, he was found innocent of all charges in January 2014 and released.
During these last two years, I often asked myself, What if it had been me? Locked away in a prison and charged with a crime I didn’t commit, how would I handle these new circumstances? Would I wonder, Why am I being treated unjustly? How long will I be here? How will this affect my wife and children?
I could easily find myself tempted to doubt God’s presence and even doubt His call in my life. I could also easily be tempted to bitterness and anger. Most of all, how could I possibly forgive the person who leveled these charges against me?
Answering the questions
Those questions are not that difficult to answer. While I cannot begin to compare my personal life and professional experiences with what Pastor Monteiro lived, the fact is that while circumstances vary, the issues remain the same. Whether dealing with family matters or church life, the potential exists for tensions to occasionally run high, feelings to get hurt, and anger and bitterness to ensue.
Looking back over my years of congregational ministry, I was blessed to have some of the best church members a pastor could ever ask for. Those local church leaders with whom I worked made my job relatively easy. The normal challenges of ministry notwithstanding, I enjoyed a pleasant existence. In my various responsibilities since leaving active district ministry, I have also worked with some of the most pleasant and efficient professionals I could ever hope to work with.
Yet every so often (praise God, it has been rare) there was the church member, student, or coworker who proved chronically problematic whose words or actions caused me to spend sleepless nights asking, Why is this happening? How can he do something like that and get away with it? Sometimes we face criticism (or worse) while we are conscientiously doing our best—often sacrificing for others. Sometimes others take advantage of us for no apparent reason.
Taking the next steps
How do I handle it? I must confess that I am still on a journey. The road I travel is filled with potholes, detours, and wrong turns. But remembering several things encourages me—even if I am still trying to comprehend them.
I remember the words and example of Jesus. Jesus assured His disciples that the world wouldn’t care that He had chosen them to closely follow Him. That would be all the more reason for them to be persecuted (see John 15:20). While what I experience cannot be remotely compared to persecution, I stand reminded that in this world I will face troublesome moments (see John 16:33). I am also reminded of Peter’s counsel: “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example. . . . When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.
Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Pet. 2:21,23, emphasis added.).1
I remember that there are things I’ll never understand. As simple as the passage sounds, I still wrestle with the profundity of Romans 8:28: “God works for the good of those who love him.” Admittedly, I ponder questions of theodicy and timing. But I continue to rest in divine providence, recognizing that “our heavenly Father in love answers our prayers by giving us that which will be for our highest good—that which we ourselves would desire if with vision divinely enlightened we could see all things as they really are.”2
I remember that life really is not about me. Joseph speaks to our self-centered, narcissistic society. Sold into slavery by family, falsely accused, imprisoned, forgotten by the one he benefited while incarcerated, he was still able to say to his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Gen. 50:20).
Conclusion
The story of Pastor Monteiro, as shared in Delbert Baker’s interview that serves as our lead article this month, is not merely about his preaching and teaching ministry while in prison. Much more than that, this interview is about the ministry of his life while incarcerated. That may be his greatest sermon ever preached.
What about you? What about me?
References:
1 All biblical quotations are from the New International Version.
2 Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1892), 96.
