Taken from a story Told by J. Oswald Sanders, Retold by John Piper in His Book Suffering and the Sovereignty of God!

I wanted to share this with you today! When I read this a few years ago it made a huge impact on how and why I share the gospel!

This is from John Piper’s Book Suffering and the Sovereignty of God! I take no credit for this!

Fifteen years ago, I had an opportunity to hear J. Oswald Sanders speak. His message touched deeply on suffering. He was 89 years old and still traveling and speaking around the world. He had written a book a year since he turned 70! I mention that only to exult in the utter dedication of a life poured out for the gospel without thought of coasting in self-indulgence from 65 to the grave.

He told the story of an indigenous missionary who walked barefoot from village to village preaching the gospel in India. His hardships were many. After a long day of many miles and much discouragement, he came to a certain village and tried to speak the gospel but was driven out of town and rejected. So he went to the edge of the village dejected and lay down under a tree and slept from exhaustion.

When he awoke, people were hovering over him, and the whole town was gathered around to hear him speak. The head man of the village explained that they came to look him over while he was sleeping. When they saw his blistered feet, they concluded that he must be a holy man, and that they had been evil to reject him. They were sorry and wanted to hear the message that he was willing to suffer so much to bring them.

So the evangelist filled up the afflictions of Jesus with his beautiful blistered feet.