One personal question towards God that I have always had growing up and that nagged me from time to time was: Where are all the other faithful Christians? Where are all the others? It felt as if the truths of Christianity were indeed true, but somehow did not command as much belief and respect from friends, classmates, or even fellow Christians. Of course, there were always “others” in the church that were faithful, but maybe they were different in this way or that way from my “very real” grasp of faith. Maybe they didn’t ask the hard questions that I had or that I faced when sharing the gospel. It felt like I was alone in a small pocket of the world where there was no one struggling with the same question that I had. And if I talked about Jesus, I would be the weird one. In a classroom of 30-40 people, I would be the odd one “who believes in God,” the one who would feel uncomfortable with the curse words and naughty things that other cool classmates would brashly talk about.

Then a certain self-righteousness would pop up. It wasn’t that overt “holier-than-thou” attitude and all about rubbing people’s wrong in their faces, but it was a quiet “holy-enough” attitude that grouped me into one of the saved among all my friends. It was a “holy-enough” that didn’t care about being “more holy” any more. It was a holy-enough attitude that would subconsciously ask God: “Why don’t others follow you? What about them? Can’t you somehow punish them or make them believe in you? Why does it feel like I am alone and trying harder than everyone else to follow you?” In a country like the US, Christians (if we include Catholics) form about 70% of the whole population, and about 40% of those are conservative. This means that about 28% of America truly hold to the Bible. In that kind of country, it sometimes feels as if you are alone in the school in your Christian faith. How much more so in a country like Taiwan where Christians make up only 1.5% of the whole population! It certainly feels like no one is serious about God, and even Christians are not serious enough about God.

Then we start thinking: There aren’t enough Christians like me. There aren’t enough Christians at all. There are not enough Christians in science, in school, in politics, in the army. O God, if you are in control, at least show me some intelligent Christians, some brave Christians, some Christians in industry! Or am I the only one?

Be careful what you wish for.

Elijah thought he was alone, and said to God in 1 Kings 19:

14 “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”

He thought he knew the whole situation and wanted to explain it to God. But God explained it to him:

15 And the LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17 And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

Maybe one day you will see those who are “cool” and also serious about God. That’s God’s answer.