”At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me.  May it not be charged against them.”  2 Ti. 4:16

At summer time a group showed up with their guitars and songs in our local park near my childhood home in  Copenhagen.  I never found out who they were, but the word ”Calvary” was  repeated in their singing.  One day I saw my younger sister singing with them.   “Let´s have some fun with her”, I said to some of the guys.  “No, leave her alone, she´s religious”, one lad rebuked me.  I felt so ashamed.

I later became a Christian, and I´ve sometimes asked myself, ”Would you as a Christian step forward to side publicly with your sister and sing about Jesus?”  Or would I do it today in this town if a similar group was singing about Calvary at our market place?

If Paul had spoken of an exclusive Christian meeting, a summer conference or a church service, he wouldn´t have spoken of the desertion of his fellow Christians, for they would all have hugged him.  But when risking their skin publicly, he was left in the lurch.  “All forsook me”, he added without bitterness.  For he knew weakness of human nature and added with the gentleness of Christ, ”May it not be charged against them.”
 
His words challenge us today about the gospel as a public, not private matter.  Christ died in the full daylight of publicity for our sins, and we are called upon to take a public stand for Him.  We´ve often privatized the Good News however.  Too often sad to say.

-jn-

July 16, 2010