September 19, 2006
~Real Word~
After all this, Joseph of Arimathea (he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, because he was intimidated by the Jews) petitioned Pilate to take the body of Jesus. Pilate gave permission. So Joseph came and took the body.
Nicodemus, who had first come to Jesus at night, came now in broad daylight carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.
They took Jesus’ body and, following the Jewish burial custom, wrapped it in linen with the spices.
(John 19:38-40 THE MESSAGE)
RTF
Are you ever secretive about your faith? Sometimes it seems like it would be easier that way. Just last night I watched a program that talked about “crazy Christians”. A wo
man worked in the TV industry and she lost a boyfriend because he didn’t agree with her decisions about faith. She was made fun of by co-workers because she prayed quietly at work before she started her day.
We live in a culture where Christianity is misunderstood. There’s good reason for that. Some people live dual lives and that is confusing to people who don’t “get” God.
We see weird things on TV where it appears that some have lost touch with reality. Is that what Christianity is? Hmm. Not so sure I want to sign up for that.
But real faith–knowing God and following him–is life changing. It’s deeper than hanging out in a pew. It’s significant. It launches you one step at a time into destiny–becoming what God intended from the moment you were conceived.
I guess my question is: why do we want to keep that a secret?
Joseph of A. was intimidated. I get that. It’s not unusual to have someone get in your face because you call yourself a Christian, but most of the time it’s because someone hasn’t taken the time to explain what real faith is all about.
Nicodemus was a powerful man. He had a lot to lose by revealing his faith. He could lose his job. His position. Perhaps even his freedom. But he made a decision:
He had discovered the truth one dark night. But his faith was worth living in the daylight.
Smitty says:
Why do people keep their faith a secret? I know for me personally, it boils down to a balance of what I share about my faith and what I don’t. Being a minister in a church, I am called upon to share my faith and talk to others about how God is working in my life. Yet on the other side, being a minister there is a certain “expectation” that I have to live up to. It’s difficult to share your struggles with anyone because of the position, or mindset, that they have regarding what I as a minister should be. So, I guess status/position would be one reason to keep areas of faith, especially the struggling part, to yourself.