I’ve heard people say… “I have a quiet faith.” Or “My faith is personal.” But is that what it’s supposed to be? Nothing in Scripture tells us that we are to keep our faith to ourselves. As I read this passage in John, this verse struck me hard… “But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders” (John 17:13). I thought… who were these people? Obviously, they had encountered Jesus in some way. Maybe for a moment, their hearts were moved by something He said. Or perhaps they were in awe at His miracles. But they kept what they may have believed to themselves because they were afraid of the religious leaders. They were afraid of being marked as one of His followers.
There may have been many people afraid to talk about Jesus but not everyone. It wasn’t the normal person, the religious person, or the person who had the most influence in town who talked about Jesus. It was the one who had been delivered, the one who had been rescued, the one who had been set free, the one who had been healed. It was the immoral woman at the well who was now completely satisfied. It was the outcast, Zacchaeus, who was given a new identity. It was blind Bartimaeus who now could see. It was Mary Magdalene who had been delivered from seven demons. It was the lame man who could now walk. It was the one who had found what they had been looking for their whole lives.
Those who were radically changed are the ones who lifted His Name above the crowds. The woman at the well went and invited her whole town to “come and see.” It was Zacchaeus who gave up everything for Jesus. It was Mary Magdalene who never left Jesus’ side. And it was the lame man who followed the disciples into the temple singing and praising and causing a huge commotion. These are the ones who pointed to Jesus and let everyone know that they were changed. These are the ones who were not afraid.
I thought about you and me. Did you realize that God performed a great miracle when He rescued you? You and I were once blind, but now we see. We were condemned to die, but now we have life. We were once outcasts with no purpose, but now we have an identity AND a purpose. I know people who have been rescued from addictions, drugs, alcohol, and homelessness. I know people who have been healed from cancer, physical ailments, and great brokenness. But my story is no less important. I, too, have been rescued, delivered, healed, and given a new position in Christ. It’s nothing less than miraculous, don’t you agree?
With that said… I had to ask, “Will I remain silent? Will I keep all this amazing stuff to myself? Will I let fear hold me back? Will I believe what Jesus said to the disciples in Luke12:11-12: “When you are brought into the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.”
Everyone needs Jesus! And how will they hear without people willing to step outside their comfort zone and tell them what Jesus did for them? If you are a living, breathing, miracle from God, then do what so many others have done… SAY THE NAME OF JESUS wherever you go. Maybe start by inviting someone to church. That’s a good place to start. But ask God for boldness.