“If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for him.” —C.T. Studd
C.T. Studd, once the most famous cricket star in all of the United Kingdom, walked away from wealth and fame to bring the Good News of the Gospel to those in China, India, and Africa. He wrote The Chocolate Soldier in 1913, while in England for a visit; he was then over 50 years old. At the time, Studd was living in the jungles of the Belgian Congo, having left Priscilla, his wife of more than 25 years, in England to care for their children. Still suffering from acute asthma and recurring bouts of malaria, he continued on despite the sickness, loneliness, and hardships of the Congo—all to bring a saving knowledge of Jesus to those who’d never before heard His name.
You must realize that this was Studd’s 3rd mission field! He began his missionary career in 1885 as one of the original Cambridge 7, going to China with Hudson Taylor’s China Inland Mission (now OMF – Overseas Mission Fellowship). After a decade in China, he was forced back to England to recuperate from recurring attacks of asthma and malaria. Then in 1900, he and Priscilla went to South India, where he spent about 6 years as a pastor ministering primarily to British expatriots. Finally, in 1910, he was called by the Lord to begin a new work in the Heart of Africa, where he founded the Heart of Africa Mission – now known as WEC, International — Worldwide Evangelization for Christ (WEC).
In this polarizing little booklet, Studd warned of the dangers in being “chocolate soldiers”—those who melt when life gets hard, who avoid risk and discomfort to live boldly for Christ. Even after more than a century, the words and message of that simple tract still pierce our hearts and souls just as sharply today as in 1913 when he published and distributed it. Like then, the message is today challenging to a few, infuriating to many!
Let’s be honest: we live in a culture of wealth and self-indulgence. We have climate-controlled homes, instant entertainment, food delivery, and countless options to make life safe, secure, enjoyable, and predictable. But Jesus said: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23, NLT)
A True Soldier WILL Take Up His Cross
But taking up your cross, especially daily, isn’t safe or convenient. It means stepping into sacrifice and danger, not away from it. It’s showing up for the struggling, obnoxious, hard-to-love neighbor or family member. It is forgiving, even when it’s hard and especially when it isn’t deserved. It is giving generously, and possibly (maybe even likely?) going where no one else wants to go. Or where the US State Department says, “Do Not Travel There.”
Studd’s challenge is to our generation, too. Here’s the question: Will you be a chocolate soldier, or will you be a real one? Are you ready for your life to be marked by heroism and unwavering faith, standing firm and ready to risk everything for Christ? Or will you melt under the heat of inconvenience, discomfort, or insecurity?
Ask yourself: Where am I holding back because it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable? Where has God been nudging me to step out in faith?
Lord, please shake me out of my comfort. I don’t want to be a chocolate soldier, soft and easily melted. Give me the courage to live recklessly abandoned to You, ready to embrace sacrifice, and to trust You even if and when You call me into the unknown. Amen.