Guilt Therapy
Huang was only 22 years old, yet he was in a Chinese prison awaiting execution for murder, robbery and rape. He was badly mistreated by other prisoners in his cell. They ate most of his food and poured food over his head and clothes. He was handcuffed and had metal rings fixed to both ankles that cut into his flesh. He had tried to commit suicide on several occasions. In desperation the authorities transferred Huang to another cell. This cell contained some Christians who treated him in a very different way. His new cell mates were kind and sympathetic.
Yun, a Christian in the cell talked to Huang in a kind way. They gave Huang extra portions from their own meagre rations of soup and food. This kindness reached his heart and he burst out crying. He exclaimed,
“My brother, I am a murderer whom everyone hates. Even my father, mother, older and younger sister and fiancée don’t want me. Why do you love me in this manner? There is no way I can repay you now, but after I die and turn into a ghost I will find some way to repay your goodness towards me.”
Yum was then filled with a deep love for this young man and through his own tears said,
“You should thank Jesus, for we believe in Him. If we didn’t believe in Him we would have treated you the same way as the prisoners in cell nine. Today we love you because of the love of the Jesus Christ. Also, after you die not only can you not repay us, but your soul will enter eternal hell and punishment. There fore you should repent and believe in Jesus because He is the only one able to save your soul.”
Haung immediately and very sincerely said to the Lord,
“Thankyou Jesus, for loving a sinner like me.”
Yun continued to care for Huang. They fed him, taught him the stories about Jesus, about His death and resurrection and second coming. They explained salvation to him. Yun wanted desperately to know more about the Bible. He lost his fear of death and came to love his Saviour very deeply. i
“That is all very nice”, someone may say, “it may have helped him, but is it true? Is it evidence based?” I am very sympathetic to such a view. We all know of placebo functions - could the Christian faith be put into that category? What a disaster it would be for someone to commit his or her life to following a lie. Yet if the Christian gospel is not true, what answers can we give to our society and ourselves? What will induce people to selflessly love others if there is no genuine creator who has selflessly loved them first? If the Christian story is true, what a disaster it is not to trust and follow Jesus Christ. The stakes are high!
i Danyun, Lilies Amongst Thorns, Sovereign World 1991 p. 55-61
