America has gone from God being in the spotlight to God not being allowed any spotlight.
It would not have felt out of place when our country started to have spoken of God in public. Why do so many folks feel that it’s out of place now?
On TV I heard an atheist talking about a billboard that was put out by atheists or an atheist organization. His position was that religion is a scam. He also believes that people are pressured to go to church and give money each week to something that they believe is a scam.
Personally, I think he’s way out in left field with the notion that volumes of people go to church and give money to something they don’t believe in. However, there are obviously folks in our churches and other religious places who are not saved. Unfortunately, some of those folks believe they are saved, but they do not have the gospel.
However, the group of atheists who put up that billboard brings to mind an interesting question. Why do they feel so empowered and emboldened that they can put up a billboard and go on television and talk about it, but we believers with the power of the Holy Spirit to testify, often don’t feel so empowered to open our mouths?
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 1:8
We are empowered!
I’ve heard plenty of folks criticize believers who were trying to share their faith or were offering a Bible to passersby as “shoving religion down their throats.” In the entirety of ministry events I’ve attended, I cannot say that I have ever seen a Christian shove religion down anyone’s throat. Perhaps it does happen.
I have, however, definitely experienced confrontation from the other side. Often they are simply there to waste my time, and prevent me from sharing my faith with someone who is interested. Sometimes I wonder whom they are really trying to convince.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
John 15:20
I have to wonder. If we worked as hard at sharing Jesus as they do at telling us we are wrong, where would we be?
LIFE APPLICATION
Being Christian – and particularly being a vocal one – is a magnet for criticism. Are you a magnet? If you are vocal enough for long enough about the Lord, you will be. Sometimes you may even be minding your own business when you are confronted. Don’t let it get you down. Jesus said it would happen.
The challenge is to realize that it still isn’t about you. It’s about Jesus, and it’s about their rejection of him. For all those lost souls that stand in your face or mine and ridicule or try to persuade us to believe differently, let us remember to pray for salvation.