by Ella Corey

I recently had a compelling conversation with a very close friend of mine. We were discussing life, friendships, faith, and our future, and an interesting point was brought up. “A bunch of people you know are entering a room where they don’t know they will be executed. If you could save them, would you?” Yes is the obvious answer. However, what troubles me is that this is very similar to the situation we are in as Christians. If we truly believe that there is no eternal life for those who do not believe, then what is stopping us from sharing the Good News with them?

“I don’t want to make them uncomfortable,” is a common excuse. Or even worse: “I don’t want to be uncomfortable.” Often times it seems as if often times we see comfort as more important than Eternal Life. If we really believe the entirety of the Bible is inherent, then we should be sharing The Word. Therefore, if we are hiding this Truth, it appears as if we do not believe it to even be entirely true. And, if we don’t even believe it to be true, then why would anyone else decide to trust in it?

So often in my life I see my faith as something I do separate from everything else. I have time when I go to church, read my Bible, spend time in prayer, but am I really incorporating it in everything I do. In a sermon on missions, Pastor Mike Erre says, “Jesus isn’t interested in the little box that says ‘spiritual life,’ he’s interested in the big box that says ‘all of life.’” I definitely believe this to be true. What credibility does Jesus have if he does not impact your entire life? asdf

In the recent Hobby Lobby case, the Supreme Court ruled that religious corporations have the right to deny female workers coverage on contraceptives. While I have no interest in getting into the debate on abortion, I believe the stronger point the Supreme Court makes here is on religion. They are claiming that religion is active. It is not just what you do inside a building. It is not just what songs you sing. It is not just what you say in your private prayers at night. It is how you live your life, the decisions you make every day. Our “religious freedom” means that we can do more than worship in a building, but we participate in actions that reflect our beliefs.

Regardless of your occupation, hobbies, who you interact with, your faith should have an impact on all that you do. You should constantly be reflecting the light of Christ no matter what the situation. If you keep your faith behind closed corners in fear of being uncomfortable, your faith is dead. C.S. Lewis once said, “If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.” He said this, because it should make us uncomfortable to make different decisions because of our beliefs. But, the Truth that we know should impact absolutely everything that we do.