God's Undeserved Gift to the World: Christian Sufferers by John Piper
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Hebrews 11:27-38 describes some of this Christian suffering and how the world does not deserve it. “They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy.” These last words mean that the world does not deserve the gift of these suffering Christians. But God keeps on giving them.
How are these suffering saints a gift to the world? The answer lies in their faith. These all were “commended through their faith” (v. 39). That is, they were approved by God. Their suffering was not owing to lack of faith. Rather, the worth of their suffering lay precisely in their faith. How so?
Notice in Hebrews 11 that sometimes God works miracles of rescue through suffering (Hebrews 11:27-35a). And sometimes he gives the faith to endure misery and death (Hebrews 11:35b-39). The common denominator in the faith that escapes and the faith that endures is that in both God is treasured above liberty and life. The one who escapes says, “Jesus is better than what I gain.” The one who dies says, “Jesus is better than what I lose.” That is the essence of faith: Jesus trusted and valued above all.
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