How do you esteem your salvation?

This last weekend we had an international day with the Pedersen family. This is something their family has done for many years, and this is the second time they have been kind enough to invite us to join them. In preperation, we spend time studying the selected country, this year it was Tanzania, and we prepare native food. Studying Tanzania has been very eye opening, and I have really enjoyed it. It also gave me a little glimpse into what Dr. Black and his wife Becky Lynn will experience when they go to Ethiopia. You can read more about their upcoming trip here. When thinking about these countries and many around the globe where there is persecution for aligning yourself with Christ, I think of a quote by Thomas Paine, "That which we gain too easily, we esteem too lightly." Christ shed his blood equally for all who are His, so in that sense, the grace that we have wasn't gained easily. But in America, being a Christian will not cost us our lives, nor do we suffer persecution(I don't consider the little ridicule we get to be true persecution). When thinking of our liberty, I think of the man in Ethiopia that Dr. Black met whose 8 year old daughter had been murdered, decapitated, and thrown in the river, all because he was a Christian. That is what I would deem true persecution. The truth of the matter is that the believers in the countries where persecution is rampant appreciate their salvation much more than the average believer in America. They are willing to put their lives on the line to tell others about the saving grace of Christ. Most believers in America never share their faith; the statistic is that less than 2% of professing Christians regularly share their faith. Why is it that in America where we have the freedom to say what we wish, many Christians wish to keep thier mouths closed? I believe the answer lies in the quote by Thomas Paine.