True Confessions

I've been reading "When People are Big and God is Small: Overcoming Peer Pressure, Codependency, and the Fear of Man" by Edward T. Welch.

Here's an excerpt from chapter 3:

"Sometimes we would prefer to die for Jesus than to live for him. If someone had the power to kill us for our profession of faith, I imagine that most Christians would say, 'Yes I am a believer in Christ,' even if it meant death. The threat of torture might make people think twice, but I think most Christians would acknowledge Christ. However, if making a decision for Jesus means that we might spend years being unpopular, ignored, poor, or criticized, then there are masses of Christians who temporarily put their faith on the shelf... In other words, kill me, but don't keep me from being liked, appreciated or respected."

Ouch! I've been wrestling with that for a few weeks. I am convicted by the truth of that statement lived out in my life.

What does the Bible have to say about this?

"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account." Matthew 6:11

"Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you." 1 John 3:13

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:18-19

We should simply expect that obedience to God will mean others may not like us. Sometimes it is as simple as an underlying tension when others know (or sense) that we are walking in the light. It may mean being ridiculed or losing your credibility among a certain circle of people.

Why do we fear this so much? So much, that it keeps us from sharing the best news in the world?

Welch goes on to say in Chapter 7, "The problem is clear: People are too big in our lives and God is too small. The answer is straightforward: We must learn to know that our God is more powerful and more loving than we ever imagined." Meaning, we must learn to find our joy in knowing and fearing God!