The Cost of Saying Yes to Jesus – by Pete and Sandy Singer

“Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.” — Hebrews 13:3

I remember the first time Pete and I worked a Fellowship of Christian Farmers event on our own. With a slim budget, I reserved a motel room that I prayed would be adequate. It wasn’t.

We had barely opened the door when a Goliath-sized cockroach crawled out from behind the light switch. “Goliath” was quickly followed by several more emerging from behind the bathroom mirror. “I can’t stay here, Pete,” I warned. At that very moment, a fistfight broke out just outside our door.

We tried to find another motel, but none were available. So we stayed.

Two days later, we left the “cockroach inn,” and I found myself feeling strangely proud. We had sacrificed safety and comfort so we could tell others about Jesus. That’s when I sensed the Lord gently whisper, “Do you actually consider sleeping with cockroaches a sacrifice?”

The truth humbled me.

Sleeping in a roach-filled motel is nothing compared to what millions of believers face every single day. For them, saying “yes” to Jesus means living ready to die.

In countries like Nigeria, persecution is not theoretical—it is daily reality. Reports have estimated that in Nigeria alone, a Christian dies every two hours because of their faith. The Christian Post recently quoted a Nigerian believer who described the unimaginable:

“You are walking, unexpected you stumble on a human skull. You are walking, and you stumble on human skeletons… I have never thought that a day would come when we would witness a three-year-old baby being slaughtered like a chicken.”

Beyond murder, Christians around the world face rape, abduction, torture, lengthy prison sentences, loss of inheritance, and homes burned to ashes. Some parents have had children torn from their arms and sold into slavery—all because they refuse to deny Christ.

That is the cost of discipleship for many.

Meanwhile, we set up our tent, hand out walking sticks, and share the bead story. At worst, we endure a roach-filled hotel. We truly have it easy.

So I must ask myself: What about me?

If I had been born in a country where believers face severe persecution, would I be willing to lay down my life for the One who laid down His life for me?

The apostle Paul wrote in Epistle to the Philippians 1:20–21, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Those are powerful words—but they become even more powerful when spoken by someone who truly expects suffering.

My prayer is that I will never be ashamed of Jesus Christ—whether in comfort or in hardship. And in humility, I pray for persecuted Christians around the world. May we not only remember them, as Hebrews 13:3 commands, but stand with them in prayer, compassion, and courage.

Because following Christ has always meant one thing:

Living ready to die.