I was recently asked to be an administrator for a mental health Facebook page. I said yes right away, because mental health is important. Then my friend said, “But you can’t post a bunch of Jesus stuff. People get offended.” I said that I no longer wanted to participate. Then she changed gears and said that some Jesus was okay, but just not too much.

I have to confess that I agreed. I began looking for memes that touted Christian concepts, but not in-your-face quotes. I still felt uncomfortable, but I didn’t follow my gut to bow out. I felt like I compromised my values.

Then I listened to the book called, Heavenly Man by Brother Yun. His captors put essentially what was a taser in his mouth when he wouldn’t deny Jesus. A taser. In his mouth. They beat him mercilessly and made him crawl through a septic tank. They broke his legs. The entire time he held his faith. He never once told them what they wanted to hear, which was for him to deny Christ. To join the political church in China. Not once. Talk about convicted. My willingness to try to hide my light under a bushel wasn’t nearly as dramatic, but not where I should be in my walk. So today I texted her and told her that not posting about Jesus as the Way through depression and anxiety just isn’t my style. I declined the position and said a little prayer for Brother Yun. I’m not saying that therapy, self help books, and wisdom from those who have walked in your shoes isn’t valuable. All of that is good and necessary. For me, watering down who I am to not glorify God as much as my heart wants is the issue. A city on a hill can’t be hidden.

“Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” Matthew 5:15