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Public Faith
Posted By Laura
When I was a freshman in high school, I remember meeting at the flag pole and praying with other students before the morning bell. We usually had 10-20 students praying, although we always had many more students looking on, some laughing or making comments, some just watching. I often wondered if they got anything out of it. If our prayers for them meant anything. I was teased a great deal afterwards for my faith. I began to hide it. I became ashamed that I was a Christian. I didn’t understand why it was ok for the football team to kneel down in prayer before a game, but it was unacceptable to simply state that one was a Christian. But, that was the way it was then.
I continued to hide my faith, my beliefs, for the next 3 years of high school. I still went to church with my parents. I went on youth mission trips. I prayed. But I wasn’t acting very Christian outside of those things. I had to keep up my appearances for everyone else. My faith became very weak and I questioned a lot of things. I also took a lot of things for granted.
My senior year, I had to decide between 2 colleges- a HUGE state university and a smaller private college. In the midst of making this decision, I was invited to stay at the smaller school’s campus for a long weekend, get to know the campus and the students, and take some exams to exempt myself from some courses. When I arrived, I had already decided to attend the larger school. I was going to go home on Monday and send my paperwork in. But that weekend something changed.
Friday night as we all ate in the cafeteria, I noticed that almost every person bowed their head and said a prayer before they ate. I looked around and waited for the snickering or whispering to happen, but it didn’t. I remember the relief I felt. Saturday I took my exams and then waited in the courtyard to meet up with some students I had met the night before. I was impatient and wanted to explore so I left and explored the campus some more.
I could hear some singing and being a music major, I had to go in and listen. I walked in on a worship service. When the music was over, the pastor asked if anyone wanted to come and accept Jesus as their Savior and 3 young men stood up and walked to the altar. I was moved to tears. Although I had attended church for my entire life, I had never experienced something like that.
Afterwards, as I waited to speak to the pastor, I overheard one of the young men talking about what brught him to that point in his life. He explained that he had always stood to the side when his team had said prayers because he didn’t understand. But he saw that those people were praying for him and it meant something. Knowing that those people who didn’t have to were praying for him in public unashamed brought him to Christ. And hearing him that evening, brought me back.
In the Book of Acts, simply watching public acts of faith brought others to the Lord.
And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. -Acts 5:12-14
Our simple acts, done in public, can be used to bring others to Jesus.
Discussion: Does your commitment to Christ show? Have you helped others come to Christ by how you live and what you say?
Sep 21st, 2006
Hello Laura,
Thank-you so much for filling in for me today, I appreciate it. I enjoyed your post alot. I think we all struggle with our boldness in Faith everyday. I would say I am semi bold. I will invite people to church and activities at church. If they ask about my faith I am always willing to talk openly about my faith. I have shared the gospel many times with people, however I try to make a repore with people first.
I do try to set an example in my faith, but I do fail at times. I always strive to be Christlike.
Great post Laura!
I really appreciated reading your post.
As a teenager my passion for Jesus as flourescent PINK and then because of fear and shame, I tried to colour it a nice happy “make everyone feel better” colour. something that wouldn’t stick out as much. maybe beige?
beige is boring when you’ve been created to be PINK!
God bless you!
High school is often a hard time for Christians to show their faith. I think most people knew I was a Christian in high school and I think most of the time I didn’t try to hide it… I can’t really remember ever trying to hide it… but that said, I also didn’t always ‘act’ like a Christian. And I still don’t always… I often think how probably most of the time if someone were observing me they wouldn’t know I was a Christian. It’s a very upsetting realization.
Thank you for the reminder.
I agree with “Our simple acts, done in public, can be used to bring others to Jesus. ” and many times it is when we think no one is watching!! Great post.
My Father, so often I merely react to what I see and hear. Then I feel so superficial. I wonder why my “Christianity” has so little power…
seems so unlovely. Then I realize I have done it my own way, and I feel like I’ve stepped “outside of you”
But today. I want my life …….. all thoughts, words, actions ………
to flow up and out of a spirit that lives “within” you.
Come meet with me now, Lord, in the secret inner depths of my spirit.Amen.
Our simple acts, done in public, can be used to bring others to Jesus.
Discussion: Does your commitment to Christ show? Have you helped others come to Christ by how you live and what you say?
My first sponsoree in CR got her 12 step chip just last month. She has been in recovery for one year now. I was so happy for her, and I did not realize the impact it would also have on me. While it was her moment of victory for one year of hard work in the program, however I did feel God was giving me a little HUG too saying Thank You Sonja for guiding my child back to me.
I call moments like those my spiritial markers that God gives to me. I have a journal that I keep now that is a complete journal of those spiritial markers. I go to it often in the hard times to help remind me what God has done for me, and the treasures He gives me for being TRUE to Him.
If you’ve read the Mark of the Lion trilogy by Francine Rivers, as I’m reading right now, then you know I’m reading about this very thing…being persecuted for displaying your faith. To answer your question, my commitment to Christ doesn’t show as much as it should. We can probably all improve in this area. I’d like to think that the way I live my life might inspire someone to wonder why and think about it. Thank you for this post. This gives all of us something to think about. Are we doing as much as we can? Never. We can always do better.
This is the second time in as many days that I’ve been encouraged to be more a witness (in acts and in words) for Him. *dink dink dink* I think He’s trying to tell me something.
My righteous indignation (ugh) gets in the way so many times; I can’t be an effective witness for Him when I’m living like that.
Thanks for the great but gentle reminder…
I think about this a lot. The other day I went to get the mail and I had received three things… something from Franklin Graham, Crossings Christian book club and a newsletter from a Christian Ministry. I wondered if the mail man ever considers this when we converse, is he watching to see if I’m different then others?
How about people I deal with on a daily basis? If I’m pleasant and courteous that reflects on me. It makes them think highly of me but is that what I’m striving for? If I’m pleasant and courteous and some how work the name of Christ into the conversation THEN I’m reflecting Christ.
And what about the bad days, when I’m grumpy. Have I completely blown my chance to talk about Christ with someone I’ve previously been short with?
Sorry, my mind wandered. In answer to your question - I hope so but this side of heaven I may not know.
I failed at many of my tests of faith in high school. Sure some I passed but one stands out as a terrible denial - it still breaks my heart and makes me hang my head in shame.
I was hanging out with a few “friends” in the halls. Everyone else was in class. The guys knew I was a Christian and had found out that my dad was in ministry and started saying some horrible, horrible things to me. They also taunted me saying, I bet you have a Bible in your locker (and I remember being sooooo relieved I hadn’t brought my Bible that day!) Then after one particularly nasty comment, I told them to “F— off” and walked away. I feel like I denied my Lord that day. I often shared that story with the teens I worked with. We all have our times of testing like Peter did. And like Peter, I failed mine.