Before things at Grace Baptist really got started this past Sunday, A-Fan shared with us that the doctors had given the OK for her to be baptized. Her back is almost completely healed and she no longer has to wear a bandage. Very good news. But then she asked us if we could postpone the baptism for one week to 9 July. The reason took us back a bit. It turns out that this coming weekend is the anniversary of her mother's death. The family will be going to the grave site on Sunday to worship. This activity is distinctly non-Christian in nature and intent. A-Fan assured us that while she is committed to Jesus and wants to be baptized, she also wants to worship at her mother's grave one last time.

By the time she had shared this a few other people had joined us. Her desire to participate in such a clear act of idolatry received a strong negative reaction from others in the room. What to do? How to help A-Fan honor her mother and yet move away from a spiritually crippling practice? What would you say to such a person at a time like that? Lay down the law? Say, "OK, but this has to be the last time."

Whether inspired or not I posed a new question to A-Fan. I asked her to consider this scenario: It's Friday afternoon and a man and woman are excited about their wedding ceremony schedule for the next day. They talk about the arrangements, the guests who have been invited and their new life together. Then the woman says to the man, "Honey, I was wondering if it would be OK for me to spend the night with an old boyfriend of mine? It will just be one night and I promise it will be the last time I spend the night with him. Is that OK with you?"

"What sort of reaction do you think that man will have? What reaction would you have? What sort of man would be 'OK' with such a thing?" I asked A-Fan. Straight away the point was clear. A-Fan decided that she would have to tell her family that she couldn't join them in worshipping at the mother's grave any more. We then spent some time sharing with her about how other people in Macau have taken a stand at this very same point in their families life. And we talked about how she could honor the memory of her mother in ways that put her mother in a proper perspective as she (A-Fan) gave her life to worshipping Jesus alone.

Afterwards I thought about how seldom it seems that this choice is so clear. I was challenged to examine my own life to see where I am being unfaithful - in small or big ways - to the exclusive relationship that comes with being a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I hope you will pray for A-Fan and for her family as she takes this step of faith. May the example of her obedience to Jesus result in blessings untold for her family and others.