Read Romans 1:1-17
A young man got up to give his testimony for Christ in an open-air meeting. Not being accustomed to speaking in public, he stammered a good deal. An atheist who came by shouted at him, “You ought to be ashamed of yourself standing and talking like that!” “You’re right,” the young man replied. “I am ashamed of myself, but I’m not ashamed of Jesus.”
Where do we get the courage to boldly testify to the truth of the Gospel, even when social pressures tempt us to cower in fear? Paul wanted desperately to go to Rome so he could share the Gospel of Jesus. Nothing was more important, not even his life. Paul says in verse 16 of today’s scripture that he is not ashamed of the gospel because it is powerful, it is of God, it is the way to salvation, and it is for everyone. His faith was in the gospel, not in the world.
Courage is not the absence of fear, but the awareness that something else is more important. Paul’s courage came from the knowledge that Jesus paid a great price for his life; therefore, advancing the gospel was more important to Paul than even the fear of death. He was able to risk it all, to advance the gospel of Jesus to the world.
Is something preventing you from unashamedly proclaiming the truth of the gospel to someone today?
If there is, pray that God will help you overcome.
Day 5 of 7 from the 2009 Mission Discovery Devotional
