Be a HUGGER

        Our very first approach should be to encourage others. Encouragement brings courage in people’s hearts. It lifts them up. And courage brings out faith. And faith pleases God.

        Why not be the one who smiles?

        Why not be the one that holds hands?

        Why not be the listening ear?

        Why not be a hugger?

        There’s a great famine for love in our world. Most people will only believe the Bible that YOU live. Once they see your sample of love, care and concern, they may then open their Bible to read and receive it.

        So why not show God’s love to people? It’s free. “Freely you have received, freely give”. Your heart has been filled with the love of God, so you should do unto others as has been done unto you.

        You should want others to also partake of His loving kindness. It goes further than telling them about God’s love. People are so starved for love. You can become the love of God expressed to them in many ways:  helping, listening, understanding, forgiving, teaching, nurturing, and guiding, and the list goes on.

        Yes it takes a little boldness. Boldness is UNASHAMEDNESS. It means to stand up no matter what others say. Remember Peter and John after the Pentecost? It says, “when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled and they realized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

        They associated BOLDNESS with Jesus. They also said of Jesus, “no one spoke like this before” for “He spoke as one having authority, and not as the scribes”. Jesus was bold.

        One awesome gift that the Holy Spirit empowers us with is: unashamed boldness. It says, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

        He gives us the conviction to SPEAK OUT and to STAND UP for what we believe.  Let me turn this sentence around. If we believe, we’ll have the conviction to SPEAK out and to STAND UP.

        We happen to have what’s right and true and the actual secret to LIFE.. we’re the light of the world. But it comes with the responsibility to share it. It says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Mt 5:16).

        That’s why Christians must be bold in speaking out their faith and showing love unashamedly. People are hurting out there.

        Christianity is NOT for the shy. It says, “Whoever is ashamed of Me and My Words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mk 8:38).

        If you truly believe in something, it will come out of your mouth and it will show in the way you live and in your demeanor. Paul prayed “that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” (Eph 6:19).

        Your faith becomes a CONVICTION of the heart and you stand by it. King David said, “I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed” (Ps 119:46).

So the life of a Christian is a manifestation, an example of faith lived out. Smile!!! Show the world Who you’re in love with!

         “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:9,10).

        BELIEVING faith is BOLDNESS to show them Jesus. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the POWER of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Ro 1:16).

        “Lift up your voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid; Proclaim to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” (Isa 40:9b).