Standing Up, Even when it's Hard

A police officer visited a class of fifth graders that I was teaching. The officer asked the children if they ever felt stressed. Some children raised their hands for “Sometimes,” others raised their hands for “A Lot,” and a few raised their hands for “I don’t know.” Only one student, however, raised his hand for “Never.” The skeptical officer asked the young man to explain himself.

“You mean you NEVER feel stressed? Come on now, be honest!”

The young man rose to his feet and told the officer “I am a Christian and as long as I do what I am supposed to do to please my Father, then that is all I care about. I am not afraid.”

I am quite sure that this little boy felt stressed or afraid occasionally, but that is not the point. He was not trying to make himself look tough or overtly Holy; his intentions were much deeper than that. This little boy took this opportunity to take a stand for Christ in a small way that had a big impact.

You see, when this young man said what he said in front of all of his classmates,he wasn't praised; he was ridiculed. He was laughed at.

The Bible teaches that we will often face ridicule for standing up for Christ. Paul told the church at Philippi that “it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him” [1:29, NIV].

If no child in that classroom took him seriously, I did. He ministered to me in a big way. He brought home the realization to me that often times when you stand up for Jesus, you stand alone.