Matthew 10:27
Whatever I say to you in the dark, you must tell in the light. And you must announce from the housetops whatever I have whispered to you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We were talking with my husband’s mother one day last summer, and she muttered something about her wedding dance. As we began to question her, she explained that after she and my father-in-law married, her dad hosted a “wedding dance” for them and for her sister and brother-in-law, who had married around the same time. There was a live band, food, and a rented dance hall, and all of their family and friends came to share in the evening of fun.
My mother-in-law married in 1944. We didn’t hear this story until 66 years later. It was an interesting bit of history about my husband’s parents that he had never known, and we enjoyed hearing his mother recall the festive event and all of the fun everyone had. Like many other stories we’ve heard in recent years, this one served to enhance and enrich our image of my mother-in-law and our family. It was another interesting layer to her life story.
Now, this was not some deep dark secret. It had apparently never occurred to my husband’s parents to share this information… or maybe nobody asked the right questions! But that brings me to the point of this scripture. Is it occurring to us to share with others the message that God gives us each day?
Whether people ask the right questions or not, we are called to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others. God is not imparting His wisdom and the message of salvation to us so that we can keep it all to ourselves. He may whisper things to us… but He expects us to turn around and shout them from the rooftops!
So what does this mean for us? It means that we cannot hesitate to ask people, “Where do you go to church?” or “Would you like to worship with us on Sunday?” It means that we must be willing to openly share with others how the power of prayer healed us of a disease or injury… or helped us through a difficult time… or led us to make a major decision with a positive outcome.
We cannot be embarrassed, timid, or ashamed of the Gospel. We can’t pretend we don’t see needs like hunger, housing, clothing, and a shoulder to lean on in hard times. God will not accept our apathy, our insensitivity, or our judgment of others. If we are to truly be the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth, we cannot be bashful.
Search your heart and find where you need to be more bold in your faith. Ask God to show you how and where to serve in His name… and for His glory. Get busy listening for His voice… and then share His good news “at the top of your lungs” and with all of the enthusiasm you can muster. It’s the least we can do for the One who gave everything on our behalf. What do you need to “shout” today?
©2010 Debbie Robus
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