Matthew 10:17-23
“Don’t be naive. Some people will impugn your motives, others will smear your reputation—just because you believe in me. Don’t be upset when they haul you before the civil authorities. Without knowing it, they’ve done you—and me—a favor, given you a platform for preaching the kingdom news! And don’t worry about what you’ll say or how you’ll say it. The right words will be there; the Spirit of your Father will supply the words.
“When people realize it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that makes them feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own family. There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate! But don’t quit. Don’t cave in. It is all well worth it in the end. It is not success you are after in such times but survival. Be survivors! Before you’ve run out of options, the Son of Man will have arrived.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I can remember times when I was growing up that certain friends and acquaintances did not include me in an activity or conversation because they thought I would not approve, based on my church affiliation. Whether their assumption was correct or not, they must have assumed that I would judge them… so they judged me first! I wasn’t invited to certain parties… I was excluded from a few “cliques”. Honestly, I wasn’t all that popular. It wasn’t that I was judgmental – or even that I was especially vocal about my faith. It was more that since I attended a certain church with a reputation for believing particular things, others assumed that I felt the same way and would probably condemn those who attended elsewhere – or nowhere at all!
Like many, I was stung by these judgments… so much so that I distanced myself from church in my early adulthood. I never turned my back on God, but I tried to be more “regular”… to fit in and avoid situations where others might label me a “Jesus freak” – or even “religious” or “spiritual”. Maybe you have done this, too. It’s an easy trap to fall into…and there is a certain comfort level in hanging out “under the radar,” so to speak. Nobody expects very much of you there… and most never think to judge you one way or the other.
As God began to help me through some difficult and challenging situations, I realized that being bold in my faith was not an option… it was an obligation. But there is a caveat… we Christians walk a fine line between being effective examples of faith in Jesus Christ – and being obnoxious fools. There will always be those who label us as “the token Christian of the family”… a “Jesus freak”… “the Church lady”…”religious fanatics”…or some other tag meant to demean and offend us. The temptation will be there to close our mouths, lay low, and try to fit in with the rest of the world. But we must listen to Jesus’ words in this passage… “Don’t quit! Don’t cave in! It is all well worth it in the end.”
How do we do this? I don’t have a solid answer for you. But I can give you a couple of working examples. I have two very dear lifelong friends, JR and John, who have always been loved and accepted by others as kind, hardworking men… good husbands, fathers, and in one case – an adoring grandfather. You will see them at outings from school sporting events to civic gatherings. They take their wives to the movies – as one of them put it…“to see a chick flick with my chick!” And you will see them at church on Sundays, where one serves as a pastor – the other (also an ordained minister) serves as a minister of music.
These men are not “preachy” or pushy about their faith, but their quiet, wise demeanor speaks volumes about their Christian faith. Both have a way of offering a welcoming smile and calming, sage advice… of praying over a friend with wisdom and confidence… of saying just what needs to be said and showing up at exactly the right time. And I have seen both of them criticized for their stance…and judged unfairly.
In my book, these men have mastered the “dance” of proclaiming love in the midst of hate. They have figured out how to “win friends and influence people” by simply living for Jesus. Yes, they are pastors… but they do not “preach” outside of the pulpit. On the street on an ordinary weekday, they are just JR and John… men who love God and care deeply about His people… and it shows. They do more to win over the naysayers with their quiet strength than a dozen sidewalk evangelists! And we would do well to take a good long look at their “Christian business model” and copy it in our own daily living.
If you are persecuted or judged for your faith, I’m sorry… it’s often part of Discipleship. But there are things we can do to temper this. We don’t have to stop proclaiming the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ… or sharing what great things He has done in our own lives with those around us. But we can ask God to grant us the wisdom and good sense to know when to simply BE… to love others unconditionally and SHOW them how we have been blessed rather than by telling them… to quietly distance ourselves from activities and conversations that we know are wrong, rather than making a big noise about it… to show others that living for Jesus doesn’t make us weird or superior – or even dull and boring!
We can show others that a life in Christ is filled with peace, joy, and abiding comfort in all situations. Maybe then, others will want what we have for themselves. Isn’t it worth a shot?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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