Here in Malaysia, the city we are in is definitely not a tourist destination and Americans are a rare sight around here. Locals always say hello, ask for pictures, stop and stare, and want to talk to us. A lot of times it’s fun getting to talk to people, but I quickly became aware of the attention we drew in large groups.
One morning we went prayer walking, which means we walk around the area, pray over the places, and see what conversations come about along the way. At one point we stopped to pray over a Chinese temple. As we stood outside, I noticed the attention we were drawing so I suggested that we should just pray as we walk so that we could keep moving. Instead, one of my friends made me stop and think. She said how what I said was bringing western thinking to Malaysia. In America, a group of foreigners standing outside of a religious building would arouse suspicion. She pointed out that that is not the way of thinking here. Here, people want to talk to us and want to take pictures with us and want to ask questions about where we are from. They aren’t looking because they’re suspicious, they are looking because they are simply interested.
I was trying to be aware and she was trying to be bold. I think this is a hard balance all Christians struggle with. I think we have to realize that the line between being aware, so that we don’t offend anyone or seem pushy with faith, and being bold, to proudly and openly talk about God and Christianity, is very thin, if it’s even there at all. Trying to walk this line became too high of a pressure for me and too unrealistic of a goal to walk it perfectly. I’m beginning to become okay with the fact that we are all imperfect humans who make mistakes. Unfortunately, we will never be able to perfectly share the Gospel. Maybe we won’t be bold enough. Maybe we will offend someone or seem crazy. But there is grace in between. And God will still work within that. He sees our efforts. He will move even through our imperfections.
I think it’s worth it to weigh more on the side of bold to risk being undignified in the standards of culture so that honor can be brought to the Lord. (2 Samuel 6:22) Our efforts for the Lord are not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58) and since it is He who we are serving (& not culture) then it is He who rewards us (Colossians 3:23-24).
Kanye West writes it well in his song “Closed on Sunday”:
“Follow Jesus, listen and obey
No more livin’ for the culture, we nobody’s slave
Stand up for my home
Even if I take this walk alone
I bow down to the King upon the throne
My life is His, I’m no longer my own”
Our culture of “political correctness” might end up killing the kingdom. No more living for culture. Our lives are His and His alone. & it is our job to spread His name and His goodness.
Malaysia is a closed country, so in order for Christians to be able to tell people about Jesus, you need a relationship with them first. That is why fellowship is so important here. That is why we do house church four nights a week. We can’t share the gospel here without establishing a relationship, and in this relationship, we can only model Christ and reflect His character so that others notice the distinction He makes in us. I love how much fellowship and simply modeling Christ is so crucial here, but all these believers wish they could do is freely and boldly talk about their Savior.
I can’t help but think how lucky we are to have the freedoms of speech and religion that we do in America. We cannot ignore these freedoms. Be bold where you are while you have the opportunity. Realize the glorious ability you have to be able to share who God is, the freedom he brings, the perfect love he freely gives, the peace that passes understanding. His goodness is too good not to share! I challenge you to be bold and to be bright. Do not live like you are of this world. John 17 tells us so clearly that we are in this world to be a light for his kingdom. Jesus paid the highest price of all to free us and give us fullness of life. We can’t accept that and keep it to ourselves! Be bright. Be bold.
BUT…
please don’t interpret this to mean go out and scream the gospel or force religion on people. Boldness does not mean loudness. Boldness can mean being bold enough and confident enough to live out the kind of life Jesus tells us to in Matthew 5. This chapter explicitly defines the counter-cultural way of life Jesus calls us to live. This is a life of peace, mercy, reconciliation, giving in abundance, love in abundance, kept promises, purity, and compassion. Verses 38 & 39 and 43 & 44 make it even clearer if it isn’t clear yet by the end of the chapter: “you have heard that it was said ‘love your neighbor and hate your enemy’, BUT I TELL YOU ‘love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’” Be bold enough to live and love counter-culturally. In Matthew 5, Jesus is calling us to something bigger and something better than our cultural norms. He’s calling us to His heart and His desires for his people.
I’ve seen here in Malaysia the fruit of both ends of the spectrum: boldness in action and awareness that requires fellowship and reflection of Jesus’ character. Both are required. It is not one or the other.
Matthew 5:14-16 perfectly reflects what the Lord has been teaching me: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
I heard recently, “you don’t have to be perfect. You just need to be bright. We want to be distinct and show how the word of truth can change your life. Not beating them with a bible and telling them how the word can change their life.”
We won’t always be able to find this balance of boldness and awareness, but I pray the Lord would give us discernment to walk out the life He calls us to live: to be bold and confident enough to proudly shine His light so all his children can see.
