I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. Psalms 9:1

One of the most difficult jobs around is that of reporters, those people whose job is to discover what's going on in the world and then tell the rest of us.  They may work in television or radio, publications in print or on the Internet.  They may be with an international organization or a small town operation.  Doesn't matter, really.  They all have the same job...finding the truth and reporting it.

That doesn't always happen, of course.  Reporters are people and unfortunately people don't always do the right thing.  Stories get exaggerated and occasionally created.  Conclusions are drawn with little to support them other than the writer's own personal agenda and desires.  And sadly, far too often the report is given solely for the purpose of getting more readers and making more money.  The quest for truth takes a distant backseat to playing with our natural tendencies for gossip, envy, lust, anger, and rage.

But there are dedicated men and women of integrity who work for news agencies.  Quite a few of them even get the Note (though they probably keep that a secret).  And they deserve our sincere prayers.  Can you imagine how hard it must be to work day in and day out, maintaining such a high standard of honesty and trust, for the sake of delivering the truth?  It's not like the rest of us, of course.  We do that throughout each day and in everything we do, but gee, reporters!?!

As you think about that thinly veiled rebuke for a moment, consider this: The life of a Christian means that in one way or another, each of us becomes a reporter.  Not for The New York Times, CNN or Sky News, but for HIM.  And we have the same responsibility those in the news should have...to be men and women of courage, dedicated to seeking the truth and sharing it with the world.

Courage?  Absolutely.  It often takes incredible courage to tell the truth, especially when others may not want to hear it.  Just look at Matthew, Peter, John, Mark, Luke and Paul.  They reported the truth, usually at great peril to their own safety.  But somewhere along the way, matters such as personal safety, careers, and what others thought about them became less important than their relationship with Jesus, the job He gave them to do, and what He thought about them.  Can the same be said of us?

Courage is not the absence of fear, but the dedication and commitment to carry on and not be controlled by it.  I have encountered bears, faced down snakes, canoed with alligators, and crept up on wild horses.  I've experienced a hurricane, tornadoes, and vicious storms.  And I've put out a fire, been attacked by a guard dog, walked into a robbery stake out, and had a guy pull a gun on me.  Most things happened too quickly for fear.  In others, I knew what I was doing (or thought I did).  Courage was not really an issue.

Ah, but then there have been situations when there was plenty of time to think and worry, usually when I'm supposed to be reporting the truth of...who God is, how we are to live and treat each other, and what He has done in my life.  But what would they think about me?  What would they do?  How would this affect me?  Could I lose the "things" that have become so important to me?  Why am I so afraid?

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be people of courage; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

As we grow closer to God, we discover that following Christ often puts us in situations that call for courage, a courage that on our own we do not possess.  When we lean on our own courage, we find there is never enough to meet the challenge.  But if we look to God as the source of the courage we need, then He gives us exactly as much as the task requires.  And the more we accept His courage, the more we trust Him, the more we can carry on despite our fears, and the more we can tell the world the truth about Him.

Pray for those who work in the news media, that God may give them an extra portion of His courage so they may become more and more committed to discovering and bolder in sharing the truth.  And then, in the quiet of your heart, pray the same for yourself, your family, friends and neighbors...for God's pastors, ministers, preachers and teachers...and while you're at it, for us at Ciloa and especially for me.

Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what He has done for me. Psalms 66:16

Take care and be God's,

Chuck

Ciloa is funded entirely by the donations of those seeking to share God's encouragement with the world.