Step up to the microphone.
Written by guest contributor: Liz King of Liz Humor Comics (Thanks, Liz!!)
In a world with blurred lines of truth, moral compromises, voices fighting to be heard, and people forcing their truths and opinions on others, it is important that we are willing to step up and speak the truth of God. Today I got my inspiration for writing from The Newsboys’ song Step Up to the Microphone. Many Christians today are scared to speak the truth of God because they fear repercussions from the world. Many Christians do not believe in the truth of God’s word anymore. They mix it with theories and desires of man and mix human truth with God’s truth, therefore following a contaminated gospel. Many Christians do not spend time in God’s word daily or at all and are unable to speak the truth of the gospel and defend it. They only live a Sunday morning faith that only lasts an hour and is done out of ritual, not belief. Many Christians no longer know what the truth of God even is. So, in a world that is growing even more defiant against God are we willing to step up to the microphone, take a stand and declare the truth of the gospel?
Being a kid from the nineties, I always looked forward to Friday nights. It was TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Friday) on the ABC television network. I loved watching Family Matters, and Full House, although now being a parent I feel like Full House sat on a throne of lies. When things happen with your children in real life they don't want to tell you that you are right and hug it out and everything is hunky dory in the end. Never once have I been able to say to my kids “Go to room and think about what they have done” and then they come down with the life altering epiphany that their mother was really right.
I remember there were episodes where DJ or Stephanie had to speak up for the truth when their friends were pressuring them to do things and believe the lies that the cool kids were living. “Everybody’s doing it! It really won’t hurt you. That’s just what they want you to think. They just want to control you and keep you from having a good time.” Anyone remember D.A.R.E. “don’t do drugs kids, Say NO to drugs!” In the episodes, the father, Danny, would tell them that they need to stand for what was right and speak up for the truth.
They couldn’t let their “friends” pressure them into compromising their beliefs and make decisions that would have a negative impact on their lives. The girls were told to stop hanging out with the negative crowd because they would be pressured to become like one of the negative friends. The end of the show the girls would make the right decision and everything would be great till the next episode.
There is a scripture that says bad company corrupts good morals (1 Corinthians 15:3) We need to be careful who we allow to dictate truth to us and who we hang out with. We are to be in the world, not of it (John 17:11, 14-15). The more we befriend the world the more we alter and compromise God’s truth with our truth in our spiritual lives. We are more willing to believe the lies of the world and be deceived. We will become more willing to not step up to the microphone and proclaim the truth of God and His sacrifice. They can’t proclaim the truth of the gospel, because they really don’t know it. Instead of proclaiming to a lost world that man is sinful, lost, separated from God, and in need of a Savior, we become passive spiritually and try not to offend.
The very thought of being persecuted by the world many chose to not even defend, offend, or share the truth of God. They keep their belief or faith private and don’t even share the truth of Jesus for those perishing. They care more about not offending others than realizing that sin itself is offensive, especially to the one who gave his life to save them from their offense. That sin causes us to perish.
How can you spot the lie from the truth? The lie puts us and our fleshly desires before God. The lie makes it all about us. It's more about what makes things fit our truths and narrative. It brings glory to us and our desires and feelings. The truth puts God before ourselves, our truths, and our desires. It puts Jesus in the center, not us. The truth brings us into repentance, submission, humility, and putting God’s will before our own.
The truth of the gospel is not a people pleaser. It shows us our sin. It brings light and exposes our darkness. When we get our perspective right and get in the position of surrender, repentance, and humility, we can proclaim the truth of the gospel. We can step up to the microphone and proclaim the truth of God’s love through Jesus to a dying, unbelieving world. We can proclaim a message of salvation, hope, healing, and true love that would lay down His life for the sake of others.
It’s not about us at all. The only part that is about us is the love God has for us and what Jesus did to reunite us to the Father. We are to proclaim the good news to a dying world and tell others of what Christ has done for them in spirit and in truth. Even with fear of persecution, we need to be strong and firm in our faith. We are not to fear the world, We are to live our faith loudly. Fear can not dictate your freedom in Christ.
I encourage you if you are feeling insecure in your faith, confused about what the truth is, fearful of being ostracized or offending, get alone with the word of God and in prayer. Let him strengthen you and teach you. Get in the book of John. Ask God to reveal His truth so you can begin to stand firm in the truth and faith of Jesus Christ.
Jesus took on shame, abuse, mocking all the way to the cross for us, so we could know the truth and live it because he now lives. He conquered sin and death for us. He stepped up to the microphone to declare his love for the world and reveal that man’s hearts are evil but he redeems the hearts of man. So, step on up to the microphone and proclaim the salvation and hope that is in Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:9, John 14:6
