There can often be a lot of gray between what is useless and even harmful personal political action such as the anti-war protests of the 60's and today or the logic defying "global climate crisis" and those things in this world that actually need to be stood up to at all costs. 

As a lead in to the holocaust, Jews were segregated away from "Aryans". After all, something so horrific could not be expected to come all at once, could it? It would come in pieces; small, subtle, relatively inoffensive pieces. Irena and her circle refused to give an inch, facing the threat of extreme violence and ostracization from the earliest injustices.

Through the benefit of hindsight we can very easily see what the correct course of action was. Irena had no such reflection pool, however. She only had what was in front of her. 

She was beaten, tortured and "saved" from execution at the last minute to be left abandoned in the woods with broken arms and legs.

How should a Christian behave in such an environment? At what point do we stand up and take action such as that displayed by Irena?  Where is the line? When do we stand up and face the persecutors in order to put an end to such injustice? What are our responsibilities? How do we know?

If we're going to be honest we will have to admit that while we might find it abhorrent upon presentation it's really not stretch to imagine the following thought process: "It's just a school/seat/water cooler/place on the bus. It's not really a big deal. Why get caught up in something that only affects such a small group anyway?" 

And though it's even more horrible to hear, I can go further and imagine this thought process without stretching my sensibilities too thin "Besides, Jews are living in rejection of their saviour, of course they're going to suffer persecution. That's what's going to bring them back to their king. I'm not getting boxed around for that."

The Economist relates that when Irena was in University she refused to rest back on her "Aryan" status and instead deliberately sat on "Jewish" benches. Under threat of violence, she defaced her grade card by crossing out the stamp that let her sit on the "Aryan" seats. For that she was suspended for three years. Such a stand could be easily chalked up to young exuberance stemming from a silly romantic view of the world, instead of the wise recognition of a problem that must not be tolerated from anyone of any age or background.

As a corollary, please consider that in America we've had abuses such as segregation. Naturally before that it was slavery. How many Christians responded to that injustice appropriately? 

Sure, there have always been that small number of people who have not been in the cross hairs but stood up regardless, but until tested we have no place of authority to blindly assume that we'd respond properly, whatever romantic notions we hold of ourselves.

I say this not to chastise but because Irena's story has placed some questions heavy on my mind.

Action such as Irena's would most definitely consume all of one's passion and energy, as it did hers. It would sacrifice what we would traditionally understand to be preaching and evangelizing at the altar of "governmental change". I believe it to have been righteous and only available action, however. 

Having admitted that, would I find myself being "in the world" or in such an environment would we still be living and working according God's command to glorify Him and preach the Word? What's the right thing to do and how do you go about doing it?

I know that as a foundation to such an endeavor we are to be steadfast in our prayer. But that's not what I'm asking. 

What I'm asking is this: How much part do we have in the events of world? How involved should we be?

Please don't confuse that with "how much should we care?". I'm only asking how involved we should be. Caring is a given. It's the action that's in question.

There's a very popular phrase heard often today; "WWJD: What Would Jesus Do?" As I meditate on these thoughts I can only think such a phrase as trite, silly and ignorant.

Jesus was here to preach the Kingdom. There were many things happening in the world in His time here. He addressed only one thing however, His kingdom.

No matter what, when or where, that's what Jesus would do; preach the kingdom. That was what He was called to do.

But is that all that that we're called to do? You might argue that we're called to preach the Word. To further the Gospel for God's glory. I suppose that my rebuttal would have to be that Jesus was talking to His disciples (in the referenced text.)

Scripture is clear that "you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues."