“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:26).
Take a moment to reflect on your 2014. How public was your faith? Does anyone outside of church know you are a Christian? If a memo went out at work to give a bonus to all the Christians, would your pay get increased? Many people falsely believe the notion that Jesus is pleased with any faith, even one that separates Christianity from “real life.”
Consider this imaginary statement from Jesus in order to drive home the absurdity of this idea:
“I gave you My example of what true faith is; now it is your turn to go teach others. Be sure to follow My example: keep your work and faith separate; never teach in the marketplace; keep your faith private and secret; never share your faith publicly; be afraid of the consequences of speaking about me; never mix Christianity with “real” life; and remember, the gospel won’t work outside of the church building.”
Now, we all know there is a difference between overly obnoxious evangelism and living a life that causes others to want to know more about the Faith. But sadly, many people think that NO evangelism is the solution to BAD evangelism. No! The solution to bad evangelism is to live what we preach and love like Christ did.
“My faith is personal,” they say. “I don’t want others proselytizing me…so I leave others alone!” They think, “religion is something that is done at church only.”
But God used people from “real life:” a carpenter, tax collectors, tent makers, a doctor, fishermen, soldiers, businesswomen, a warden, a treasurer, etc., because He wanted the gospel to enter the market, the home, the nations, and every facet of life.
If you didn’t share your faith in any meaningful way in 2014, what is your plan to do better in 2015? Let’s make 2015 a year we share our faith! And if you aren’t a Christian and you are reading this, please remember: The person sharing their faith is doing so because they cared enough about you and your eternal soul to mention His saving grace to you, pleasantly and with love, I hope.
