During the reign of one of the tyrant Roman emperors, a youth of noble birth was ruthlessly consigned to the dungeon. For years, the heavy iron chains of a felon bound his ankles and his wrists, as day by day he lay in the dark and loathsome prison at the emperor’s pleasure. Suffering not for crime, but for speaking the truth, and for faithfully exposing the sins and cruelties of those in high places of the world. Now the once bright countenance is worn, and the locks are gray with suffering. But the righteous will not always suffer. The day must come when the sufferer for righteousness’ sake will be rewarded. The cruel emperor dies, and his successor sits on the imperial throne. Hardly had he been raised to wear the purple and the tiara than he sends to the dungeon to have the prisoner released. Worn and weak with suffering, in his heavy chains, the prisoner is placed before the throne. His fetters are struck off, he is clothed with purple, and, instead of his narrow cell and gloomy prison, he is raised to royal rank and honor. A pair of scales are brought forth, and the iron chains that he has worn are heaped on one after another, and carefully put in the balance. At the emperor’s word, gold is piled on the other scale, and for every pound of iron that he has worn in the dungeon, he now receives a pound of gold in return. Think you that he wishes now his fetters had been lighter?
So shall it be with all who suffer for Christ and His truth down here.
“If we suffer, we shall also reign” (2 Tim. 2:1212If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: (2 Timothy 2:12)). Every pang and abuse that is borne for the Lord’s sake, will have its return in the day when the Lord shall reward His servants. Our “light affliction” here shall have in return “an eternal weight of glory” there. When “the righteous judge” brings forth the just balance of heaven and gives every man according as his work shall be—
“O, what shall recompense His smile,
The sufferings of this little while?”
Dear young believer, are you a sufferer for Jesus’ sake? Do you bear from day to day the scowl and scorn of a world that crucified your Lord? Think it not strange. It is only what He promised. But it will not be always so. The last day of reproach, contempt and scorn draws near. Then the honor and the crown. Cheer up! yours is a sure reward.