A Worm in Time: How a Worm Led to one of the Greatest Factors in the Spread of Christianity
As a middle school world history teacher, I stand over textbooks and timelines observing the causes and effects of historical events. They weave together telling the story of time, and I can’t help but marvel at God. With each twist and turn, the ups, the downs, God moves, and bends history to His will.
I’ve been able to make many observations. For example, God often uses the ill-equipped to serve His purpose. Not only the ill-equipped, but God isn’t opposed to using the secular, the ungodly, small, least likely, and even seemingly insignificant events to bring about His plans and purpose. It’s brilliant.
Around 3,000 B.C. the Chinese began cultivating silk from a worm. The raw material provided by the worm created a luxurious fabric and a high demand from buyers. Two thousand years later trade opened between China and the Mediterranean region sparking a greater demand for silk. The demand led to the creation of what we now know as The Silk Road or Silk Route.
Today, the World Wide Web connects us, but for over a thousand years the Silk road acted like a World Wide Web of interconnecting roadways. More than silk was traded. Merchants stretching from East Asia, the Middle East, parts of Africa, and Europe exchanged gold, spices, salt, slaves, ideas, religion, and technology. A case can be that the Silk Road affected culture more than trade. In fact, trade along the Silk Road became arguably the leading cause for the spread of Christianity around the world.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, trade declined. The roads fell into ruin, and became dangerous for merchants and their caravan of goods. However, Christianity would not be stopped. God had other plans. Eventually, the Mongols, fierce nomadic warriors from Asia, begin providing protection along the roadways and trade and travel flourish once more.
A great empire falls, and God uses violent, unmerciful, warriors like the Mongols to protect the road in which His message of Grace, Love, and Mercy is shared. Slavery, an evil crime against humanity, was a lucrative business along the routes, yet these slaves will perhaps, for the first time hear God’s message of Freedom. Robberies, and murders were common occurrences along the roadway, yet God’s mission and message could not be deterred.
Notice how God worked through the trials, dark places, thorny paths, and sinful nature of huma
nity that manifested along the roadways. He does that today, working in our lives, in the dark place to bring truth and good for those that love Him. It’s the thorny, darkest, vilest places that need the light of the Gospel the most. What better place for the Gospel to shine than against the backdrop of the Silk Road?
God’s Word prevails, just like He says it will. There’s no stopping it.
Eventually, the effects of trade on the Silk Road will lead to Christianity spreading to Northern Europe and then over to England. Overtime England will become a Protestant nation, through non-religious reasons– check out the story of King Henry VIII. It’s not a “Christian” story, yet, God will allow Protestant Christian beliefs to grow, and ultimately those beliefs sail their way to the Americas where they become the foundation of our great nation.
Let this sink in: God used a worm to create a product, that started the largest, longest lasting, trading system, which allowed for the world-wide spread of Christianity. Mind bogglingly brilliant.
He’s relentless, reckless, and stops at nothing to further His plan of salvation to be heard by every ear possible. Why? Because. He. Loves. Us. Every last person on this planet, past, present, and future. He’s a God who has chased us through history, in and out of time, simply to be with us.
If history repeats itself, as it often does, then God is still moving in the midst of our frustrations, doubt, fear, and uncertainty. He will use the secular, the immoral, ill-equipped, time itself, and even a worm to further His kingdom purpose.
And here’s the best part, He wins!
About the Author:
Hannah Conway is a military wife, mother of two, middle school teacher, and speaker. Her novels are a deployment experience of their own, threaded with faith, and filled with twists and turns sure to thrill, and encourage. Hannah is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, and My book Therapy. She and her family live near Nashville, Tennessee.
Check out her latest release, Up in Smoke ! Love it? Leave a Review on Amazon and let the world know!
