“You don’t really believe that book, do you?” The room got very quiet and I could feel every eye now staring right at me.

From the peripheral I could see him standing over me and his voice had that contentious edge to it.

An old acquaintance of mine used to say, if you go looking for trouble, you’ll find it. Well, I wasn’t looking for trouble, but it seemed to have showed up anyway.

It was one of those long days waiting in a stuffy and crowded jury pool room. There I sat with my Bible open, young in my faith.

No one else seemed to notice or care but this guy did and was calling me out! The tension grew and you could feel the energy in the room change.

Nothing quite like this had happened to me before and I really didn’t know what to expect. Neither did anyone else but he sure had our attention.

Have you ever had one of those moments when it felt like “it was on” and there was no place to go? It feels like trouble found you and you weren’t even looking for it.

This was before smart phones and social media, but would have been one of those moments everyone took their phone out and started recording.

Who wants to be the center of this attention?

And what’s a Christian supposed to do?

Yet that’s how it goes.

God allows it.

It reminds me of Eph. 6:10-13.

Peter captured the sentiment in 1 Pet. 5:8-10.

We don’t always have time to think through our response so I did what any normal healthy young Christian would do.

I looked up politely at his disapproving face and said, I do.

In the split second I had to prepare a response it felt right to say and then see what would happen.

It was 1 Pet. 5:10 in real time and I didn’t even know the verse yet!

Take a “stand”, suffer if I must, learn some lessons and mature, feel stronger in my faith and eventually settle into a new reality about what it means to live my faith publicly.

It was all happening so fast, everyone in the room wished they had a camera, and just like you’d expect in a good movie or newsletter like this, no one got what we expected.

“Oh good, so do I” he said as a big smile spread across his face. He told me that he was a pastor and was “just checking”.

Phew!

We laughed, started talking Bible, and soon the room was busy again. He was much older in the Lord and poured wisdom and encouragement into me that day.

No one was looking for that – except for that wise old pastor who taught me a good lesson about taking a stand and seeing what God does with it next. (Hint: 1 Pet. 5:12).

Here’s my question for you:

Where do you sense God prompting you to take a stand publicly regardless of how you imagine it will go or feel about the outcome? I’d love to hear your response. Reply and share it with me. I read every email.

P.S. & Invitation. Together we can double the reach of this ministry. It’s a worthwhile challenge and you can help. Can you forward this newsletter to a few people you know — in your household, workplace and church — and encourage them to subscribe? Thank you.

🧔🏻‍♂️For the men in your life. This is a good place for men to open up. I’ve been a part of this ministry to men for a while and highly recommend it.

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👊🏼 Quick Favor? I’m attempting to double the reach of this newsletter. You can help. Can you forward this to a few people you care about-and encourage them to subscribe? Would you also help me spread the word by sharing BV2U to your social media? Thank you.

💬💡Feedback? Let me know how to improve BV2U or how it impacted you. Reply to this email or use [email protected]. I read every email.