People come to the Lord in various circumstances. Some accept Jesus as their savior because of miracles and signs, some feel empty and lonely or are touched by the influence of Christians as light and salt in society, but a portion of Christians follow Jesus in very unique conditions. Brother Daniel is one of them. Merely a bystander observing a violent fight between two neighbors, somehow, he came to faith.
On one occasion, for unknown reasons, two neighbors living next to Brother Daniel's home were caught in a heated dispute. What began as a verbal argument quickly escalated into a physical fight involving knives. One individual was ultimately stabbed and seriously wounded, leaving a large and shocking pool of blood at the scene.
A crowd gathered to witness the incident, and among them was Daniel. At the time, he was a timid twelve-year-old, watching from a distance. The brutality of the scene deeply unsettled him, prompting a question: Why do people treat one another with such cruelty, even to the point of taking a life?
Amid the crowd, an elderly woman remarked, "This is the work of the devil. The enemy has placed the devil in their hearts." Such a word puzzled young Daniel, who had never encountered the term "devil" before. Curious, he asked her what she meant.
The woman explained that she was a Christian and believed in Jesus. Because of her faith, she knew the presence of the devil in the world and his power to bring about destruction and chaos among people. Her words sparked something within Daniel. "Can I believe in Jesus?" he asked. The woman smiled and replied, "Of course you can. It's even better for children to believe." From that moment, Daniel's heart turned toward Jesus. Though he couldn't fully express why, he felt an unwavering conviction that Jesus was good.
He began attending church with the elderly woman and committed to following Christ.
"Believing in Jesus was actually quite simple for me," Brother Daniel once said. "Of course, when I say 'simple,' I mean it was simple from my perspective. In eternity, there must have been God's plan and careful preparation. I believe it was anything but simple for Him."
From the very beginning, Daniel's faith was fervent, and he regularly attended the church. However, his family believed that Christianity was only for the elderly and considered it inappropriate for someone his age. They often criticized him. Despite this opposition, Daniel remained steadfast in his devotion and continued attending services.
Although his parents were clearly against his faith, God had "blocked his ears" so he could not hear their objections.
At the time, Daniel lived with his grandmother, who was also influenced by the family's disapproval. She discouraged his attendance at church, often telling him to complete his homework first when he came home from school and wanted to attend the church. However, since she couldn't monitor him constantly, Daniel would slip out quietly to join the church gatherings when she wasn't paying attention.
His spiritual growth progressed rapidly. One evening during a church prayer meeting, the woman leading the gathering unexpectedly asked him to lead the prayer. Although he had never done anything like it before, he stepped forward in obedience. As he prayed, he was suddenly overcome with emotion and cried out, "Lord, I want to understand your truth. I thirst for your word." Standing on the stage, Daniel broke down in tears.
A few years after coming to faith, his family faced a significant crisis: his father, the household's sole breadwinner, passed away. The loss dealt a heavy blow to their already struggling family. At the time, Daniel had just graduated from junior high school, and his future was filled with uncertainty.
By then, he had already joined the church choir. Some women in the choir, aware of his situation, asked if he was interested in studying theology. Though he was eager, God did not open that door at the time. Instead, He brought into Daniel's life a fellow believer who introduced him to a different path.
"This brother felt that the church I was attending back then wasn't ideal, so he brought me to a different one—and I followed him," he recalled. In the late 1990s, he joined the church, where he continues to serve today.
He began by attending theology and worship training courses. After graduation, he joined the church's worship and praise team. Through his ministry in worship, many believers have been uplifted, both directly and indirectly. In addition to leading worship, Daniel has also occasionally preached and shared the word of God over the years.
Originally published by the Christian Times
- Edited by Katherine Guo and translated by Poppy Chan
