Romans 1:16 states that Paul is not ashamed. Christ followers are naturally designed to stand out as we live as representatives for Christ. However, for a variety of reasons, the title “Christian” is also attached to ideas of hypocrisy and rigidness. We live in a society that loves to tear down those who make statements on faith, call them out as hypocrites when sin happens, or accuse them of being archaic in their thinking. This reaction is due to the polarizing effect of the Gospel. When Christ’s words resonate, there’s internal conviction and turmoil as we recognize and feel the impact of our own sin. And while as Christians, this still happens to us, we recognize it as a need to fall to our knees, confess, and accept forgiveness from the only One who offers Grace through His substitutional atonement. Others feel the condemnation, search for the source, then tear it down, make it meaningless, and mock those who live by it.
Knowing all of this, I have a tendency to hide my faith. When I first became a Christian, I tried to have faith-based conversations with family. These conversations ended badly. As a result, while I kept the words of Christ close to my heart, I did not openly and willingly vocalize them due to my fear of rejection. But when Paul declared he wasn’t ashamed, he also commanded me not to be ashamed. Not to be ashamed of rejection, mocking or belittling from those who think that what I believe is too rigid and uncompromising. I do not see this as a need to aggressively question family and friends on the role Christ plays in their lives. Instead, I see this as an opportunity for me to explain the source of my own actions, like serving at my Church's local food pantry. Instead of people simply thinking I am just a “good” person who likes to serve, they should know that my desire is to give back to Him, to do good works, not to earn His acceptance, but to be His hands and feet.
So being afraid to proclaim my faith is not something I want to fester inside of me any longer. I know my fears of rejection will hold me back on occasion, but I will regularly pray for an awareness of the opportunity to share my stories and for the courage to do so. Jesus, in Luke 11:33 said, “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in may see the light.” Now maybe those who come in contact with me will see the Light of Christ within me because I will no longer be too afraid or too ashamed for it to be displayed.
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