Saturday, April 2
The Life and Challenges of a Long-Ago Christian, Part 5
Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting with strife. —Proverbs 17:1
Melissa
A Villa, 63 AD
The fishers don’t usually visit the island, but that day Iskander did and found a young man unconscious on the shore. He brought him to Milady’s villa close to the beach. When Milady saw him, she took a fancy to him at once—he was very handsome. “We must save him, Melissa,” she said. “He has the look of a prince.” As Milady’s personal maid, I supervised his care. When he became well enough to sit up, we spent hours talking to one another and soon became friends. His name was Markos, and he was no prince but a poor young Christian. He told me about his faith and made me want to become Christian, also. When Markos was well enough, Milady took over his care. She made quite a pet of him. She gave him expensive new clothes and had a feast prepared for him every day. She even gave him her Arabian stallion. “I never knew people lived like this,” Markos said to me. “This is really nice.” I was afraid he was enjoying himself too much for a poor Christian boy. I hoped he wasn’t forgetting his faith.
One day for lunch Milady ordered a bottle of her most expensive wine. “You will love this, my pet,” she cooed. I was holding the bottle. When Markos reached out to take it, it fell to the floor and shattered. Milady, jumped up, furious. “You useless girl!” she screamed. “That was worth a fortune! Tomorrow, you go to the slave market!” Markos defended me, taking the blame, begging forgiveness. “You ungrateful wretch!” Milady turned on him. “Defend her, will you? Then join her! There will be two at the slave market tomorrow!” As Milady’s guards dragged us away, Markos whispered, “Don’t be afraid, Melissa. Our faith is our shield.”
Don’t let us become too comfortable, Lord, to remember the needs of others. Amen.
Guy Johnson