Battle Cry

I received a call this morning from a Christian woman; we’ll call her Bea.

I am so impressed by Bea, her obedience and her faith. She has struggled a long time now with cancer, and in November was told that she had but weeks to live. Through God’s grace the doctors were able to find a medication that seems to be helping her and she is gaining a little strength back. Though Bea has been given an extension, she has not long to live in this world.

I try to imagine what I would do if I knew the rest of my life could be counted in days rather than the expected decades. I don’t know how I would spend those precious moments, but Bea is an inspiration.

The LDS Church is building a new chapel in Bea’s neighborhood and she’s concerned for the spiritual welfare of her neighbors. As she told me, “I’m not concerned that the LDS building is going up. I love America and I love that people in our country have the freedom to worship according to their conscience. What concerns me is that my community does not understand how Mormonism differs from the Bible.”

So Bea is busy preparing information for her neighbors. She has purchased the tract Is Mormonism Christian? and plans to begin going door to door this week. She has 200 tracts that she has labeled with her name and phone number; she plans to leave one with every person she meets. And if the Lord allows her to remain, she’ll get more.

Bea isn’t comfortable with her outreach. She’s a little afraid to approach people’s homes and doesn’t know what sort of things she may encounter. She said, “I could easily use my disease as an excuse to stay home, but I’m convinced this is what the Lord wants me to do.” So out she goes, to serve the Lord in this uncomfortable task as long as He gives her strength.

Bea makes me think of a scene from the movie The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. As his army prepares for the great conflict, Peter looks across the battlefield, viewing the immense force assembled against them. Just before the charge he raises his sword and cries, “For Narnia and for Aslan!”

I see Bea looking over the battlefield. All personal concerns aside, she has work to do. “For the kingdom and for Christ!” she cries, and charges ahead with her eyes set firmly on her King.