The Fair Weather Christian

[Picture by fpharpua2002]

The Bengals lost their opener to the Broncos on a lucky play in the closing seconds of the game.  The talk that week was how a team that goes 0-3 to start the season never makes the playoffs.  A couple of weeks later the Bengals pull off a win against the Steelers and suddenly the talk has changed.  I am seeing more flags and inflatables popping up in local neighborhoods.  I am hearing more talk about the playoffs even from people who don’t follow sports at all.  You know those people.  We call them the fair weather fans.  They only come out and support the team when times are good.  Growing up in Cincinnati where football has not been so good you either have to suffer through each season admitting that you are a Bengals fan, or you have to find another team to follow.

So what is a fair weather Christian?  This would be your average person only claims Jesus in their life when it bodes well for them.  I was thinking about this in reference to a new series The Vineyard started this week called The Jesus Underground.  The series is all about the early church in the book of Acts.  At that time, people who claimed Jesus were often killed for their beliefs.  It was not popular in the world view to believe that Jesus was the Messiah risen from the dead at that time.  If you were a believer then your life was at risk.

Here in the United States we have the freedom to worship any way that we choose.  But there are other places in the world where the government does not allow you to worship Jesus.  I sometimes wonder if I would have the courage to worship Jesus in such a place.  Am I just a fair weather Christian who was fortunately born in the US?  Even Peter took the fair weather road when he denied knowing Jesus 3 times.  But later he would die for his belief in Jesus.

Do I live out my faith in all aspects of my life?  Am I afraid to share my faith in situations where religious talk would not be popular?  I hope that I am consistent in my faith no matter where I am at or who I am with.  I guess I won’t know for sure until my faith is tested further.