Matthew 10:32-33 (NLT)
Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.
“Lukewarm people rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends. They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues like religion.” (page 71)
When Savannah and I go to the park to play, there is this line of concrete that reminds me of a tightrope. Her and I will gingerly tip-toe our way across it doing our very best to avoid falling off. (If you do step off, the crocodile bites into you like he did Captain Hook from Peter Pan). The same thinking rings true for many believers today. We walk a spiritual tight rope when it comes to sharing our faith. We don’t want to trip to the left and be rejected by saying something that someone may make fun of us for. And we don’t want to lean right and share our faith because it may make some people uncomfortable. Because to some, religion is a private matter, separate from the operations of our normal daily lives. I've even bought into this a time or two.
Then I thought about it this way. If my soccer team finally won the elusive championship, would I quietly go on about my business? Absolutely not! (Even if you had no idea what I was talking about, I’d still share it!) If Alabama/LSU/MSU/Ole Miss/Michigan won the national title, would you sit idly by and be silent? If you met B.B. King or Jimmy Page or Brad Pitt or Beyonce, would you take a vow of silence? If you got a killer deal on some new fall clothing from the department store, would you keep it a secret? In all cases, I believe you would say with me, “Absolutely not!”
Then why on earth would we keep the greatest news imaginable a guarded secret? I’m not telling you to thump your neighbors over the head with your Bible or preach to them on how they should live when you don’t practice it yourself. I’m simply encouraging you to let your light shine and when (not if) the opportunity presents itself, “be prepared to share the hope you have in Jesus.” (1 Peter 3:15)
Author’s Note: for more on this topic, read page 71 of Crazy Love by Francis Chan and Danae Yankoski
