Speak Boldly with Compassion

Author: Sarah Shanahan

Acts 14:3—So they stayed there a long time and spoke boldly for the Lord, who testified to the message of his grace by enabling them to do signs and wonders.

“Mom, a kid at school today told me that God is just my imaginary friend, and He isn’t real.”

I watched the tears stream down my five-year-old’s face when she climbed into the car.

“And what did you say?” I asked her calmly.

“I didn’t know what to say,” she admitted sheepishly. I understood her feelings and have felt it several times throughout my life.

I pulled the car over and got out to hug her. The tears continued to fall, but they weren’t tears of frustration or anger but of pain. And what she said next broke me.

“Mom, does that mean they won’t get to go to Heaven with Jesus?”

The heart of a child is so pure. As an adult, I would have been so angry to even have the confrontation, but she was focused more on the person’s soul!

After that moment, we continued home and talked about how to handle that type of situation in the future. One important lesson was when we don’t know what to say, let the Holy Spirit lead, but stick to your beliefs.

Acts 1:8—But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Everywhere we turn, there seems to be someone sharing their opinions on our beliefs and trying to convince us that the God we serve is just an imaginary being that we have thought up to try to make sense of the chaos surrounding us. They say the church is just a cult. Honestly, it’s nothing new. We can see this when we read the Book of Acts. However, now that our world is more “connected,” it feels way more prevalent.

It can be disheartening to watch the news or even scroll your social channels and see someone else bashing everything you believe. Let’s be real; it can even be discouraging to talk to other believers who may have a different understanding than you—causing conflict and strife, which we know is Satan’s goal. That way, we never step into the unity that the Bible talks about (Ephesians 4:1-5).

But thank God He is in control, and there is nothing man can do!

The question remains: how do we respond to those who speak out against our beliefs? Let’s be real here; your response—whether verbal or non-verbal—will speak volumes. So, let’s look back at Acts 14:3. We see Paul and Barnabas were “speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.”

As Christians, we sometimes emphasize “word” or “deed” but fail to use them together. The New Testament teaches us to make God’s Word our first priority (1 Cor. 1:22-23), yet the gospel must be clothed in love and good deeds, or our actions will override what we say with our lips (1 John 3:18).

The Bible and the Holy Spirit work together hand-in-hand. One will not contradict the other. When we actively practice the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), we will see that our words and actions align with the Holy Spirit. We are then able to speak boldly with love and compassion.

Make room for the Holy Spirit to speak to you—let Him break your heart for what breaks His (Psalm 51:17). Ask that He gives you the words to say. Ask that He directs the works of your hands. Continue to pursue Him, and know that you will find Him.

Reflection

When confronted with criticism of your faith, how can you respond with both boldness and love, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide your words and actions?