Our theme this year is “who’s your one”. I have been praying for my one and have even had the opportunity to share the Gospel with him recently. However, I was reminded the week leading up to that meeting of the fear that often keeps me from sharing this amazing good news. Why is it that I struggle with fear? Why is it that my salvation is hard to talk about at times? Why is it so easy to come up with excuse after excuse as to why I shouldn’t tell others about Christ? Because I lack boldness.
In Acts 4 the Church was exploding. Christians were being added to the church by the hundreds and even thousands (Acts 4:4). However, the Christians were not living in America. Peter and John had been threatened to stop preaching the gospel but they refused. In fact, threatening was not working so the high priest throws them into prison. When was the last time I was ever under the threat of prison for telling someone the good news of the Gospel? I can’t honestly even remember the last time I was even verbally persecuted for sharing my faith.
Acts 4:13 says Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. I wonder if others who saw me could tell that I have “been with Jesus” on that day. Would my actions and words do justice to my claim of being a Christian? Or would my fear have kept me from living out or sharing my faith?
By the end of the chapter Peter and John have been threatened, imprisoned, miraculously brought out of prison by an angel, and again threatened. Yet their response is “we ought to obey God rather than men.” What an amazing comeback to the men who could hold your future in their hands.
I pray that this year as I seek to reach my one and then many more, Lord willing, I will have the boldness these men had. I pray that God will enable me to conquer my fear and live out my Christianity no matter what the circumstance or conversation. Would you endeavor to do the same? Would your desire be this year that God use you in an amazing way, just like He has used many others like you.