His companions are ready to sneer,
and they point the finger of scorn at him, with irritating epithets.
Or they even persecute him in petty ways. At least they are not
Christ's friends, and he, as follower of the Master, finds no sympathy
among them in his new life. He must stand alone in his discipleship,
conscious all the while that unfriendly eyes are upon him. Many a
young or older Christian finds it very hard to be the only one to stand
for Christ in the circle in which his daily work fixes his place.
This aloneness puts upon one a great responsibility. For example, you
are the only Christian in your home. You are the only witness Christ
has in your house, the only one through whom to reveal his love, his
grace, his holiness. You are the only one to represent Christ in your
family, to show there the beauty of Christ, the sweetness and
gentleness of Christ, to do there the works of Christ, the things he
would do if he lived in your home. Perhaps the salvation of all the
souls of your family depends upon your being true and faithful in your
own place. If you falter in your loyalty, if you fail in your duty,
your loved ones may be lost and the blame will be yours; their blood
will be upon you.
In like manner, if you are the only Christian in the shop, the store,
or the office where you work, a peculiar responsibility rests upon you,
a responsibility which no other one shares with you.
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