For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain!

Natasha, a 7 year girl was born and brought up in a God- fearing Christian family but in a communist country where worshiping God openly was prohibited. There was a group of worshippers worshiping secretly on one Sunday. The extremist got news about these worshippers and a group was sent with arms to the reported place. This armed group broke into the hall and surrounded the worshippers. They threatened to kill the people but kept a condition to release them. The condition was, a bible was kept on the floor and whoever will step on it will be free to go. People were held at gunpoint, slowly people started stepping on the bible and went to the other side and stood. Natasha was watching this happening and her heart was broken to see these Christians. Now it was her turn, Natasha walked in the Bible, took that torn and dusty bible in her hands, cleaned it and held it close to her heart. At that same time the hall was filled with the sound of gunshots. Natasha was lying on the floor, dead. In a few minutes of time everyone was killed in the hall by the armed group and they left.

In Philippians 1:21 Paul writes, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Paul’s life was fully dedicated towards spreading the good news. Paul faced death several times but these situations did not stop him from doing his mission. Paul was always prepared for his death, his perspective towards death was not a loss, or an end rather he says it again. Paul mentioned in his writings about his task, about his mission, about crown, about goal and so on. For him his death was an accomplishment.

One thing Paul and Natasha had in common was they were not scared of the ones who can kill or destroy earthly life, rather they were more concerned about spiritual life.