The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”  Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!
Acts 5:27-29

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect… 
1 Peter 3:15

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Spring break, 1990. The cool girl at work wanted to go to Panama City Beach, and she asked if I’d like to go. We had spent the previous year working our first full-time jobs together. We were total opposites (I definitely was never the “cool girl”), yet we had a surprisingly easygoing friendship. 

We made the eight-hour drive to Florida’s Gulf Coast and checked into a small room right on the beach. While the trip had its moments, our differences created some tension. She was curious about the dance clubs; I wanted to parasail over the Gulf. She met a couple of guys by the pool and wanted to go out; I wanted to check out the local estuary tour. I warned you guys, not cool over here. 

At some point on the trip, I pulled my Bible from my suitcase and was met with some teasing. The tension definitely solidified by the end of our time on the beach. The drive home was quiet—significantly quieter than the ride in—and I was left with the sinking feeling that I was probably the least cool person she’d ever hung out with.

A month or so later, she called me unusually early in the morning. Her longtime boyfriend had just broken up with her, and she was inconsolable. Through tears, she asked me to work her shift. She stopped by work, tearful still, thankful to have her shift covered. Then, she took a deep breath and asked the question that broke my heart: “Would you please pray for me? Because God hears people like you.” It wasn’t hard to read between the lines. She didn’t feel worthy to approach God herself.

I promised her I would pray, and I also promised, “If you pray right now, God will hear you.” I promised her, with confidence, that to God, there was no difference between us—He loves us both exactly the same. I started talking more openly and authentically about my faith after that. The weird, post-trip tension between us seemed to disappear.

I realized that the problem between us had been me. I only shared part of who I was with her, and the part of me she seemed to need the most—the part privy to faith and hope—was the part I withheld. 

I’m always humbled by the courage of people who literally put their lives on the line for Jesus, like the Apostle Peter before the Sanhedrin. Thankfully, when I share my faith, I haven’t had to worry about losing my life; I’ve just worried about what people may think of me. In a complicated, divided world, it seems harder than ever to share faith without causing offense. I’m years past worrying about being cool, but worry about friendships and opinions still sneak in. When I’m tempted to be quiet about my faith, I try to remember my friend. We may never know what someone is battling, feeling, or questioning on the inside. I haven’t shouted my beliefs from a mountaintop lately, but I encourage us all to try to thoughtfully and authentically wear our faith on our sleeves. Hopefully, that way, if someone needs Jesus, they have a connection.

Next Steps

Are there new ways you can be more intentional about sharing your faith in the spaces you’re in at work, school, or your community?
Is there someone in your life you’ve been considering sharing your faith with? What could be the next opportunity with that person to intentionally and authentically share your faith?
There is an old song, Conversations, by Sara Groves that I went back and listened to while remembering this story in my life. I hope it encourages you too.and then take that energy with you into the world.