That the World May Know

As Tina walked through the mall, she noticed a Christian bookstore. She figured that it would be good to stop in and see what new devotional books were out. Tina had been a Christian since she was eight, and had always made a point to do a devotional in the morning before she went to school. Walking around to the teen section, Tina noticed Rita (a girl from school) looking at the large array of Bibles. Rita looked up from the table and smiled in Tina’s direction. “Hi! What are you doing here?” Rita asks. Tina answers that she is looking for a devotional book. When Rita looks surprised, Tina asks her what she is thinking. “Oh, I just didn’t even know you were a Christian!” Rita answers.

First of all, Rita and Tina are two figments from my imagination. This is not a real experience, conversation, or encounter. This is not even a story I have been told, so please do not think I am writing about you.

However, I am not saying this won’t ever happen to you or me, because I think it can. That is, unless we do something about it. Our world has taught us to hide our personal beliefs and fit in without causing a stir. I agree that it is harder to be conspicuous, but I do not think that this is necessarily a bad thing.

I often discuss how we need to be different and be world-changers instead of go-with-the-flow-ers (if that’s a word…), but that is not what I’m after today. Although these are still important subjects, there is an even more important issue that I have not addressed much.

Let me start out with this question: If a person off the street could look over the past two days of your life, could they tell that you are a Christian? Or would they be surprised to find this out? I sure hope that in my life, it would take only five minutes for them to see that I am a Christian, redeemed by Christ’s love, and granted freedom from my sins!

I do not go to public school like Tina, but I have plenty of opportunities to reveal my Lord and Savior through the way I live. I have a job that grants me a plethora of instances in which to show the love of Jesus. I dance at a studio where I can openly reach out to those who are hurting or sad. Even going to the store with my family can be a place to exemplify Christ!

I can honestly tell you that if Rita had told me instead of Tina that she was surprised I was a Christian, I would have been utterly heartbroken. I want my life to be a living testimony to the wonders of my Lord, and if I knew that I wasn’t doing a good job of it, I would want to immediately change the way I was living.

John 13:15 says, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” If we live like Christ, people will notice. Like Tina, our culture has told us to fit in with the rest of the crowd, not stand out and shout to the corners of the earth what the Son of God has done for us.

If you walked down the street, would people notice that there was something different about you? Or would they just pass you by without even a glance? Rita gave Tina a major wakeup call. Tina had been a faithful Christian inside of her home, but in the world, no one could even tell that she was a follower of Jesus.
Is this not what has happened to us? Have we decided to keep God boxed in at home only? Isn’t it true that Jesus has washed us clean on the inside, and yet we don’t let anyone else find out about this redeeming love?

So, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Let the world know that you are a Christian, and proud to be so! Scream of His glory and power and strength! Make a difference in our dark world! God will win in the end, but we are put here for a purpose.

Are you like Tina? Have you hidden the light that burns so brightly inside you? Or are you going to take off the mask and live like you are a Christian inside and out?