By: Pastor Jarren Rogers

“God forbid that I should travel with anybody a quarter of an hour without speaking Christ to them.” – George Whitefield

I went shopping with my wife one day and we came upon a very interesting and arguably blasphemous object. It was a small, two-inch statue coined with the name “Pocket Jesus”.

As I thought about this peculiar commodity, I thought about how some people actually treat God as a “Pocket Jesus”. They put Him in their pocket, making sure that he is readily available for whenever they need Him. If they are going through a hard time or they are facing a difficult circumstance they might pull Him out. But if they do, they make sure to do it in private.

Whenever they are shopping or going out with friends, they make sure that He stays securely in their pocket. Whenever they go to their family’s house for the holidays they keep Him hidden. They don’t want other people to know that He’s there. Who knows that their friends or family would think or what they might say.

Sometimes they tend to shove Him farther down in their pocket. Especially when they are in traffic or when they are getting revenge on someone who wronged them. They push Him down when they are feeding their addiction or lying to cover up their sin.

The fact of the matter is that God’s desire for us is not to keep Him in our pocket, but to keep Him in our hearts. This way, our every word and action is permeated by Him. He wants our relationship with Him to be apparent to everyone we encounter. From the lady checking you out at the store to your parents at Thanksgiving, God wants everyone to know that you are His and He is yours.

If you’re afraid to let Jesus out of your pocket for fear of what others might say or think, listen to these words from Jesus Himself:

“Do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.” (Matthew 10:26-27).

You might be afraid to say anything around your loved ones because you know they will begin to ask you questions about what you believe or why you believe it. Listen to Jesus once more and be encouraged:

“Do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. (Matthew 10:19-20).

God wants to be at the forefront. If that is His desire, he will keep you safe as you share His Good News and He will bless you for honoring Him.

Parents: Share with your kids how Jesus desires to be at the forefront of their lives. Give examples of how they can act it out.