In route to visit my son Andy and his wife Kristen, I phoned my husband and asked him to book me a motel about an hour away from where I was on the freeway.  He chose one with excellent reviews and, of course, a cheap price.

Dave hit the jackpot.  The owners had hung a scriptural plaque beside every exterior door, and the lobby was filled with signs of faith.  When I checked in, I noticed 2016, 2017 and 2018 “Platinum” awards had been given.  I questioned the receptionist about them, and she said that for those years, not one complaint had been lodged against their motel.  She proudly shared that one of its perks was coffee “’round the clock.”  Not exactly a spa or pool or cucumbered water, I told myself, but then again, I’ve never seen Scriptures hanging at a Hyatt.

The owners’ hearts for God were obvious.  They did not hide their faith, and I began to wonder what would happen if we all were infused with a little more boldness in our love for Jesus…not in a Bible-thumping sort of way, but in a way that left everyone we meet knowing there was something special about us.

A few years ago, my son Adam and his wife Jenn were invited to a dinner hosted by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.  The topic of faith came up, and Mr. Pompeo shared that when he was invited to speak for a large gathering of Muslims in the Mideast, he added a conclusion that spoke of his Christian faith.  The speechwriters removed his addition.  He deleted their deletion.

When he finished speaking, he told Adam and Jenn, he was shocked at the number of Muslims who approached him to say that, although they did not agree with his faith, they applauded his boldness in professing it. Granted, probably none of us will have an opportunity to address a Mideast conference (I can only dream), but there are other, more common ways we can demonstrate boldness in the ways we represent Christ-likeness:

• Walk away from an argument. (Emily Dickinson: “Saying nothing sometimes says the most.”)
• Honor our family first. (Desmond Tutu: “You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.”)
• Work with excellence, even when no one is watching. (Jimmy Johnson: “The difference between ordinary and extra-ordinary is that little extra.”)
• Don’t fudge on our taxes. (Richelle E. Goodrich: “A liar deceives himself more than anyone, for he believes he can remain a person of good character when he cannot.”)
• Choose purity in language and appearance. (Mandy Hale: “Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.”)

Every day we are given choices to exude boldness in our faith.  I know I need to do better and remember that I’m not alone in this.  God has my back.

Of course, what He wants is my heart.  That’s the jackpot that really counts.