Tell.

We were driving down the road the other day on our way to CFA for our school's spirit night, and we were chatting about our day. Things got quiet at a red light, and then Walker said, "Mommy, some of my friends won't listen to me when I tell them about Jesus."  

He sounded so sad. 

I asked him what he meant and he said, "They won't listen to me about Jesus. They think when you die alls that happens is you turn into a skeleton."

I would love to be a fly on the playground (where I assume these conversations take place) when he talks to his friends about Jesus. 

I can't help but wonder what he says. I know he understands the need for salvation, and it thrills my soul that he love his friends so much that he tells them about Jesus too. 

I talked to him, the best I could with him being five, about how the Bible is clear that the Christian life will be difficult. That he has chosen to live his life in a way that at times won't be "popular" among his friends. I explained to him that we are even told in God's word that we will be made fun of by some people when we share Jesus with them and stand up for what we believe in...that even Mommy and Daddy are ridiculed by people we love because of our choice to give our lives to Jesus. But to keep boldly proclaiming what he knew was true, so that his friends could come to know Jesus also. So that they could understand where his hope is found. I told him I was so proud of him and his heart to share, but that more importantly The Lord was pleased with his efforts. 

It got quiet again, and my own words echoed in my mind. What a lesson for my own self. Quite possibly a divinely orchestrated conversation with my five year old to remind me that I do not belong to his world, and that if I am not being persecuted by people because of who I am in Jesus, then am I truly effectively making a stand for Him?  Am I truly living out His sole purpose for my life-to boldly proclaim his salvation to others, to make disciples, to be used as an instrument in bringing people to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.  

I love this blog. I love to write and share Jesus in this way. And this blog has it's merits.  But it's easy to sit on my bed with my iPhone in hand and type words that I hope someone will read. Words that I hope will encourage someone in their wall with The Lord, words that I pray could even bring someone to Jesus. It's easy to hide behind a screen and click post. 

It's not always as easy to sit with a friend or family member and tell them where my hope is found. That my faith isn't about following a list of rules (though there are certainly areas I believe the Bible calls us to be obedient in), that my faith isn't about being "better than" they are. That my faith isn't about judging those who don't follow Christ, or choose activities that are different than how I choose to live my life. My faith is not about always being perfect, or pretending to be perfect, all the while being hypocritical.

My faith is about Jesus. Fully God, in the form of man, giving me the gift of life. He took my place on the cross, carrying the burden of my sins, knowing completely that many times I would deny Him-many times I would fail Him, yet loving me still. 

My faith is about accepting a gift that I don't deserve, offered to me in matchless grace. My faith is about recognizing that I am nothing without Him. I'm not better than anyone-Christian or not. I'm not perfect. I mess up daily, and yet He extends his hands of grace and forgiveness. Hands nailed to the cross in my place. My faith is about placing my hope in an eternity spent worshipping my Savior. My faith is about loving people enough to not keep it to myself. Ultimately, my faith is about sharing the beautiful gift of life, lived to the fullest, with an inner joy despite circumstances that exceeds anyone's ability to understand. My faith is about being used by God to grow His kingdom. 

Fear, insecurity, embarrassment, lack of knowledge, uncertainly, rejection, being made fun of...all these things have kept me, at times, from seizing opportunities to share with others where my hope is found. 

A lesson intended for my son, resonates deep in my heart tonight. People may not always listen, and they may not always believe. I have chosen a narrow path, and I will surely be persecuted, made fun of, rejected, called names, and avoided. But I will tell. I have to tell. If I love them, I will tell.