Silence

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King Jr.

Has there ever been a moment where you should have spoken up about something, but didn’t?

When I was a shy 15 year old, I had my first experience being afraid to speak up about my faith. I had made it onto a new dance team at my high school and was surrounded with girls that were the epitome of intimidating. They were cool, popular, and talented - and they knew it! I was simultaneously terrified and enamored, and boy did I want to fit in!

I remember, at the beginning of one of our first practices, the captain - who was especially unfriendly - was talking about something and asked the entire group, “Do any of you go to church? Are you any of you Christians?” With a grimace she looked over at the group.

In that moment my body filled with panic. I’d spent nearly every weekend at The Church at Rancho Bernardo from second grade on. I wasn’t just a church-goer - I was a church rat! A pastor’s kid! I loved church! And while I was proud of my faith, this was the first time I had to declare it around some that might not be so happy about it.

I raised my hand meekly, and quickly realized I had misread her grimace. Apparently popular girls have to always look slightly disinterested. She squealed and shared that she was a Christian too. Suddenly we were connected and what I feared (out of a pre-judgment of her) might separate us actually blossomed into a unique friendship.

This example is small, and if that’s my experience with persecution of faith - I’ll be the first to say I’ve had it a thousand times easier than most. That moment of hesitation has always stuck with me. For a second, I wondered if it was worth it to speak up. For a second, I cared more about approval than declaring my faith in Jesus. I hope my hand would raise instantaneously now, as my faith has deepened and changed, but there are still moments in our lives where raising the metaphorical hand is hard.

Sometimes it’s hard to speak up - it’s inconvenient, embarrassing, or makes enemies with people we’d rather have affirmation from.

Whether it’s about our faith, important issues of justice and restoration, or standing up for the convictions God has placed in your heart - God has called his people to choose to speak up. With the power of the Holy Spirit in us, our voices matter. And silence in the face of adversity, at times, can be a submission to our idols, instead of our Creator.

In Psalm 58, David is calling out the leaders and judges of his time, who too quickly side with corrupt leaders to save themselves. In verses 1-2, David says:

Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones?

Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men?

No, in heart you work wickedness;

You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.

- Psalm 58:102

David is frustrated with leaders who stay silent in the face of injustice. Those who prioritize selfish gain over righteousness. David’s story is our story. Together we must be frustrated with ourselves, the church, and mankind when we choose silence over standing up.

It’s so easy to become numb to our hurting world, inundated with stories of pain, jaded by political chaos, and quick to hide in the safety of our North County bubble. But God is calling us to speak righteousness and fight for His will. When it’s easier to stay silent, God’s inviting us to raise our hand, speak up, and be Good Neighbors.

Are you ready to stand up, friend? God has placed a unique and divine passion for justice in your heart.

Whether you’ve found it or felt it yet, I believe God will tug at your heart for a specific issue that your giftings can be used for. Let’s choose justice over silence. Let’s raise our hands.

Let’s be Good Neighbors.

Cristina Schmitter

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