Train to Pakistan

So I just finished reading the book Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh. Until about the last 1/4 of the book, I was not interested at all. This book was assigned for my India class so it was a 'must read.' Basically this book was about the separation of India in 1947 in Sikh India and Muslim India. It discussed this one city that was not divided into Muslim and Sikh like the rest of India but all of the people lived peacefully together, accepting each other no matter their religion. Towards the end of the book, the Muslims in this city had to leave due to the fact that people were most likely going to come kill them if they didn't. But once they left, a group of Sikhs desired to get back at any Muslim for all the killings that had been done to their people, the Sikhs, and decided to kill as many Muslims as possible, whether they were from the peaceful city or not. This is where I started to get really interested. As the book enfolded, many of the characters expressed their personal thoughts on the issue and whether they should or shouldn't do something to try to stop the killings.

As I read one of the character's thoughts, a few of the phrases stuck out to me.

-#1: "The point of sacrifice, he thought, is the purpose...
-#2: "It is not enough only to know within one's self that one is in the right; the satisfaction would be posthumous...
-#3: (Talking about the person sacrificing) "The doer must do only when the receiver is ready to receive."

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When looking at these quotes in a biblical standpoint, they hold so true.

-#1: When we as Christians sacrifice, it should not be to look good or make a name for ourselves. It should be for the purpose of glorifying Christ. To make a sacrifice for HIS name alone. The point of any sacrifice is the purpose of Christ!

-#2: We cannot know the truth ourselves and yet keep it to ourselves. Our mission is to see the nations come to know the Lord. We must act because we are commanded to do so. And although this should not bring self-satisfaction, it should bring God satisfaction and that will be posthumous. Our actions, which ultimately are God's, bring about satisfaction for the Lord Most High when they glorify Him.

-#3: As we go about spreading the good new of God, we must first depend on Christ to open the hearts of those we are witnessing to. Although we can physically act on sharing God's word, the real success happens when the person's heart is ready for the Holy Spirit to work. We must first pray and then act upon ANY circumstance that the Lord provides to us.

There was also this prayer towards the end which is of Sikh origin, but has great power...Our God is so great!

He who made the night and day
The days of the week and seasons.
He who made the breezes blow, the waters run,
The fires and the lower regions.
Made the earth--the temple of law.
He who made creatures of diverse kinds
With a multitude of names,
Made this the law--
By thought and deed be judged forsooth,
For God is True and dispenseth Truth.
There the elect His court adorn
And God Himself their actions honours.

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The Lord stands above all and is and will ever be!