No Embarrassment Here

“If I have achieved anything in my life, it has been because I have not been embarrassed to talk about God.”- Dorothy Day

I came across this quote while reading Kenda Creasy Dean’s Almost Christian. This book is essential for anyone working with youth with a faith focus. It brings up some harsh realities of young people and the future of the American Church. It is definitely a good read.

The focus today is not on the book, but on Dorothy Day’s quote. What a strong message of faith. This is a woman who achieved so much in life fighting for women’s rights to vote, being arrested several times for her persistent efforts, and co-founding a magazine to enhance the faith and action of the Catholic Church. She is a wonderful woman that had a great heart for service and moving God’s name forward and lifting it high.

With a list of great achievements in life, she easily could have taken the credit. She could have suggested that her will and strength to persevere is what helped her achieve so much, but she didn’t. She made sure to acknowledge that it is only because of His great name that she achieved anything! Is this our attitude? Are we humble enough to recognize that God is the reason why we achieve anything? He does not want us to achieve greatness for the sake of being great, but for the sake of knowing He is great! She was not “embarrassed to talk about God” and that is why she made it to where she was.

I would have to add to her words that not only was she not embarrassed to talk about God, but she was not embarrassed to act for God. This is the faith we must desire. We must desire to speak regularly about Christ and what He has allowed us to do, but we must be willing and ready t act upon the things He has commanded us to do. We can talk all we want, but without action the words are void. We can speak about the message of Christ; but if we do not serve and love the way He taught then His message falls on deaf ears. 

Let us not be embarrassed of our faith. Let us not be embarrassed to share His message of love and peace. However, let us act on our faith and Jesus’ message in order to bring glory to His name and not embarrassment. We can only be embarrassed to share His name and message if there is a reason to be ashamed. I would suggest that the shame does not come from Christ’s message, but from His follower’s inaction. If we do as He told us to and love those around us, then we should be able to shout His name from the mountain top with our heads held high!