Last week, someone asked me what the best bakery around the area was.  I didn’t have to think about it for one second and did not hesitate.  I quickly and excitedly shared that Uncle Mike’s is the elite choice and went on to explain everything that makes it so amazing, especially the donuts.  I explained everything that they offered and made sure the person knew it was my go-to place and that I was a huge fan of the business.  It is a game-changer as far as bakeries go.  We always share the things that we enjoy and the things that make us excited.  We share the things that are important to us and the things that have the biggest impact on us.  Of course it’s easy to share where to find the best donuts.  Who doesn’t like donuts?

What about faith?  Do we share our faith with the same confidence and excitement?  If something is a “game-changer” and has transformed our lives, wouldn’t we want others to know about it?  Nothing has impacted my life more than my faith.

As a Catholic and disciple of Jesus, my faith should be the most important aspect of my life.  If it is the most important aspect of my life, why am I not sharing it and letting others know how it’s impacted my life?  How many times have I covered up my faith in a conversation or situation with friends or coworkers because I was worried about being seen as weird or thought that it might offend them?  Why do I worry about losing friends when Jesus is the most significant friend I could have?  Why do I fear being mocked and rejected by those around me when Jesus experienced this more times than any of us ever could?

Whether it’s in-person or on social media, it’s always so much easier to go with the flow.  It’s more comfortable to agree with what everyone else is saying and just keep our faith out of the conversation.  But Jesus did not call us to be comfortable.  We need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.  When I think about sharing my faith, I can recall a great homily from Father Scott Valentine in which he emphasized that “yes, our faith is personal but it should never be private.”  In our faith, the idea of having a personal relationship with Jesus is always stressed and talked about.  While this relationship is personal, it is not meant to be withheld from others.  Why would we not share about the one who gives real meaning to our lives?

When I take time to think about sharing my faith, there are a few realities I have to address.  Do I value comfort and approval more than my faith?  Do I worry more about offending or upsetting people than denying Jesus?  Am I more concerned with what others might think of me versus what Jesus knows about me?

My hope is that I can be bolder in sharing my faith; the real game-changer in my life.  Sharing our faith with others doesn’t mean standing on street corners and yelling at people who go by.  It doesn’t even mean talking about Jesus every moment of every day.  I think it means living authentically, sharing the reason for our faith, and showing people how it changes us on a daily basis.  “From the desire of being approved, deliver me, Jesus.” 

God sees you.  Regardless of what the world is telling you or how you feel, God sees each and every person.  From time to time, I think we all tend to forget this truth.  However, imagine not even knowing this truth. 

I work for a nonprofit organization that serves individuals who are hoping to get their lives back on track.  The people who often come to the doors are those who have drug and alcohol addictions or have been recently released from prison.  The one factor that unites them all is that they have nowhere to go and they are hoping to transform their lives and get out of the dark places they are in.  

One day, within the first few weeks of my job, one of the residents of the program said something that really struck me.  Towards the end of my interaction with this resident, he said “Thanks for remembering my name.”  I was taken aback and somewhat confused as to why I was being thanked for something so simple.  After reflecting on that interaction for days, and even weeks after, it hit me.  It is likely that this resident often feels unseen, unheard, and forgotten about.  This is why simply remembering his name was such a big deal to him.  It was not long after that I heard similar comments from other residents.  Another remark I heard was “You have a crazy memory.  You remember my name.  You probably only see me once a day and you remember.”  A third comment that comes to mind is “I can’t believe you still remember my name.”

All of these comments have allowed me to reflect on the truth I shared in the first sentence of this post.  God sees every single person, even when the world around them fails to do so.  Many of these people go through their days feeling like no one really cares or sees them.  If they feel unseen by the people around them, it is likely that they feel unseen by God.  This made me think about how I view every person I encounter.  Am I making God known to them through my words and actions?  Am I helping them to remember that they are created in the image and likeness of God and that He sees them every moment of every day?  If the people around them cannot see the dignity and worth they have, how will they believe that the God of the universe sees them?  The first step has been realizing that I need to let God use me to make him known.  It is simple, but definitely not easy.  My prayer is that I can become better each day at sharing God’s love and that every person will realize that they are clearly seen, fully known, and deeply loved by God.