October 1, 2010 - Sirach 2:12-14,18 - Timidity

"Woe to timid hearts and to slack hands,
and to the sinner who walks a double path!
Woe to the fainthearted who have no trust!
Therefore they will have no shelter.
Woe to you who have lost your nerve!
What will you do when the Lord's reckoning comes?
Let us fall into the hands of the Lord,
but not into the hands of mortals;
for equal to His majesty is His mercy,
and equal to His name are His works."

Are you a timid person? Oh, I'm not talking about being timid in business or timid in your personal life. I'm talking about being timid about your faith in Jesus Christ? Do you not speak because you're afraid you'll offend someone? Do you not share your faith because it never seems "appropriate" to do so? The Bible tells us to be ready, in season and out of it. Are you ready?

I believe every day God places before us many, many opportunities to share our faith. Now, I'm not talking about being obnoxious about it. Obnoxious Christians who tried to shove Jesus down my throat turned me away for years. I just wanted to run in the other direction when I saw them coming. I think there's a fine line between sharing our faith and being so pushy as to push people away from Christ.

So, where is that line drawn? Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. I believe that we are most effective as Christians when we share OUR "experience, strength, and hope" with others. It is when we focus on what we think the other person should do that we lose our effectiveness.

When I speak of Christ, I can only speak of my relationship with Christ. I cannot speak to yours. I may know what you tell me, but I can't peer into your heart and see what is in there. Only you and God know that. But I can tell you what Christ means to me. I can tell you how I came to know Christ as my Savior and my Lord. I can tell you how Jesus came into my heart, and how He is with me all the time, even when I'm being an idiot and a jerk. I can tell you that I know without every ounce of my being that God loves me, and that He loves you too.

So, when God puts you in a position today to speak, speak of your experience, strength, and hope. Do not be time and fainthearted! Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross! Else, what will you do when the Lord's reckoning comes?

Blessings, Phoenix