2.Timothy 1:7-8 For God has not given us a spirit
of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do
not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner,
but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the
power of God.
Whenever
I look at young, apostolic people and see how successful they are in
school or at university, and how they are also appreciated by their
fellow pupils or, respectively, fellow students, although they are different,
then I am very proud of them. Also in our careers and in our society,
we all are called to be salt and light for Jesus Christ, whether we
are young or old.
When we look in the Bible, we can see that many heroes in the Bible,
here and there, found themselves in the same situation and felt the
same way about things. Joseph never fitted in completely throughout
his whole life; whether with his brothers, whilst in prison, or even
also in the Pharaoh's palace. Esther probably felt very lonely, being
the only Jewish girl behind the walls of the palace. God does not want
us to withdraw ourselves from non-Christians, actually, He desires the
very opposite.
Remember the words of Paul: 2.Timothy 1:7-8 For God has not given
us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore
do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner,
but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the
power of God. Be friendly, laugh a lot, show them your joy, and
be sure that you are the one who influences them rather than them influencing
you.
If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then let God's love shine through
you! Always keep this song in your heart: Be bold, be strong, for the
Lord your God is with you... jp
Additional verses to study:
John 1:7; Romans 1:11-18; Colossians 2:2; Hebrews 10:25