St. Patrick

Hey everyone!

I wanted to share a brief piece about one of my favorite characters in history: St. Patrick.

Patrick was born in Western Britain around 389 B.C. to a Christian family. Yet his life was not a life one raised by his family. He was captured by pirates and taken to Ireland. His story doesn’t end in slavery. He eventually escaped and returned to England. Yet it wasn’t long before Patrick heard God’s call to return to the island where he was held captive. He arrived back in Ireland in 432 B.C., devoting the rest of his life to the warring people of Ireland: the same people who held him as a slave. Through his efforts the gospel reached Ireland for the first time.

Patrick’s story amazes me for many reasons but most of all because of his desire to follow God’s call to have compassion on the very people who enslaved him. Whenever I read Patrick’s story I find myself desiring to be like him. What would the world think of Christians if we all behaved like Patrick? If we all had such compassion and fervor to reach out and love the very people who never loved us?

I’m reminded of 1 John 3:16…

“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”

Just some thoughts…hope everyone is having a great week!