NOT ASHAMED

For the past six years my wife and I have gone to the Fort Worth Livestock Show and Rodeo. It now qualifies us as having a tradition. We enjoy looking at all the animals and attending the rodeo. The rodeo follows the same format every year. It begins with the Grand Entry where all the supporters and participants ride into the arena on horse back and ends with Bull riding. So, it would be easy to say that if you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all. Yet, we still go year after year.

This year during the opening part where the national anthem is sung and the American flag is presented something new happened. The voice of pro rodeo, Bob Tallman, began to speak about our country and talked about how great it was living in the land of the free. Then he took the conversation in a direction I had not expected. He stated that faith was what has preserved our country’s greatness and the people of faith have given it strength. He then proclaimed that faith was found only in Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior. A loud roar of voices and applause ensued.

We live with such political correctness today that proclaiming the name of Jesus in the public arena is rare. Tallman has been announcing the FTW Rodeo for almost 30 years and I have heard his opening remarks before in which he speaks of faith in God. This was the first time I’ve heard him use the name of Jesus. Why did he shift from God to Jesus? Maybe because of Tim Tebow and his giving credit to Christ is causing others like Bob Tallman, who have a public platform, to speak out as well. What ever the reason, I was overwhelmed with joy to here with my own ears this public proclamation of the Savior.

As Christ-followers it is our responsibility to make Him known to the world. Jesus says in Matthew ten and verse thirty-two that; "Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.” With boldness we should stand ready to proclaim in the market place Jesus as Lord. It’s going to take all of us not just the “Tebows” and “Tallmans” of this world to increase the awareness that the way of peace in through Christ Jesus. For, I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. (Romans 1:16 NIV)


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