THURSDAY
APRIL 18

READ:
Matthew 10:32-39

“If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.”

Mark 8:34


 
 
The Unknown Soldiers
Going public with your beliefs is a big step. In private, some people say they’re Christians, but they never make any kind of a public stand for Christ. They refuse to say or do anything that would identify them as believers. Before you start to argue with me, check out this illustration.

Let’s say that you were sergeant for a new platoon of recruits. But on the first day of training, your soldiers said, “Listen, Sarge. First of all, we’re not going to wear these funny uniforms—our regular clothes will do just fine (and they look better). And we’re not going to march together and stick together like soldiers. Instead, we want to walk at our own pace. And we’re going to wander back and forth between our camp and the enemy’s camp whenever the urge hits us.”

If you were their sergeant, how would you feel? Would you be furious that they refused to acknowledge your authority? Would their lack of military discipline disgust you? Would you throw them all in the brig? Would they do a thousand pushups?

The point is obvious. Some of us do the same thing with Jesus Christ. We decide to be secret Christians and not let anyone know about our beliefs. We want to wander back and forth between Christ’s camp and the devil’s territory. We want to do so safely, not taking any risks by letting anyone ever guess that we are followers of the Lord Jesus.

It’s your decision; you can take that chance. But Christ gave this solemn warning about people who make the wrong choice: “The Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory” (Mark 8:38).

Read Matthew 10 and note the depth of love and commitment to Christ it describes. Don’t you wish you could reach that level of maturity?

Maybe it’s time to march off to “boot camp” and commit yourself to the discipline of a true soldier of Christ. You probably won’t become “an army of one” overnight, but at least you’ll be in the right camp! —John Carvalho

REFLECTION

  • What is my biggest struggle in “going public” with my beliefs? 
  • In addition to today’s passage, read 2 Timothy 2:3-7. Why is discipline so important to me as a Christian? 
Be not ashamed of the Lord, nor a shame to the Lord.
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