Why did he make fun of me when I became a believer?

I became a believer when I was 13... I was bursting at the seams about it. Jumping around telling everyone I saw that "I got saved!”. Most people said they were happy for me however, one single person took it upon himself to make fun of me. Just one person... that's all it took to make 13-year-old me reluctant about sharing the most important fact of my life. One person... I don't hold it against him, he was just a teen too at the time, but the memory still lingers at the back of my mind.

Not what the guy said but my reaction to it....it pretty much made me be extra careful who I shared my faith with and since that moment on, I stopped despising Peter for denying the Lord three times.

I have lost count of the times that I have "quenched the spirit” since then. Chances I have had to share what God said about a subject, to offer comfort with a verse; scriptures burning a hole in my heart on the tip of my tongue and I swallowed them back... Why? I didn't want to be the butt of jokes again. I don't mind posting on Facebook about God's word but face to face where my pride is vulnerable; where the listener might not be receptive, where simply placing something on the table might be viewed as cramming it down one's throat; well I get reservations.

It has been a cycle in my life. More often than not, my fear of minor risk has kept my mouth shut. I confess this… I hate it. I have many other faults too that help to silence me; everybody thinks I am a stuck up....why should I be taken seriously anyway? That’s usually my easiest way out; you keep pitching water on a fire and you will finally put it out.

My colleague Ann blew on some coals this morning as she preached about rejection. It was an eye opener. Thank God that there were still embers there. God has been working on my heart one way or the other pretty heavy lately...Pray for me... I want to be a blessing to somebody.