"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes."
— Romans 1:16
We live in a world that will make you feel stupid for believing.
It won't always be loud about it. Sometimes it's subtle. It's the way a conversation shifts when you mention God. The way people look at you when you bow your head before a meal. The way social media treats faith like something to be kept private, something personal, something you probably shouldn't bring up in public.
And slowly, without even realizing it, a lot of believers start shrinking.
I know because I did it too.
There was a season where I kept my faith quiet. Not because I didn't believe but because I didn't want to deal with the reaction. I didn't want to be the person people rolled their eyes at. I didn't want to lose friends over it or have someone pick a fight about it online. So I kept it to myself and told myself that was fine.
But it wasn't fine. Because you cannot carry something that completely changed your life and keep it locked up like it's something to be embarrassed about.
Think about what the cross actually is. A man who had done nothing wrong was publicly humiliated, beaten, and executed in front of a crowd while people mocked Him. And He wore that crown of thorns without flinching. Without hiding. Without shrinking to make anyone around Him more comfortable.
He was not ashamed. Not even at the end.
Paul wrote Romans 1:16 from a place of real cost. This wasn't a comfortable declaration made from safety. Paul was beaten, imprisoned, and eventually killed for what he believed. He knew exactly what it cost to say I am not ashamed of the gospel and he said it anyway.
That's the standard we're called to.
Now I'm not saying go pick fights with people online about theology. That's not what this is. But there is a difference between being wise about how you share your faith and being ashamed of it. One is discernment. The other is fear.
Wearing a cross around your neck is a small thing. Posting about your faith online is a small thing. Telling someone what God brought you through when the moment is right is a small thing. But small things add up. And the world needs to see believers who aren't hiding.
You were not saved to be a secret.
The same Jesus who wore that crown publicly, who hung on that cross publicly, who rose from that tomb publicly — He's the one living inside of you. Don't shrink Him down to fit into spaces that are comfortable. Let Him out.
Wear the crown. Share the story. Don't be ashamed.
— Austin, Founder of TheRisenKing