Followers of Jesus are not supposed to wallow in fear; perfect love is supposed to have driven out fear. But so often fear seems to drive out love. Instead of trusting in God when the situation seems risky, it is all too easy to let fear take control. We try to use God as a shield to keep us safe from our fears, rather than letting his love replace our fears. In the first chapter of his second letter to Timothy, Paul said:
God did not give us a spirit of fear. He gave us a spirit of power, love, and self-control. Do not be embarrassed to tell people about our Lord, or about me, his prisoner. Join me in suffering hardship for the Good News with the strength which God gives… I am facing these hardships, but I am not embarrassed, because I know who I believe in, and I am certain that he can look after my concerns until the last day.
The potential for embarrassment when sharing your faith with someone else is huge, but as Paul suggests, feeling embarrassed is a choice. You cannot control the reactions of others, and sometimes you will encounter verbal, social or even physical persecution. You can choose to feel embarrassed, or you can feel secure in God because you are certain that he can look after your concerns until the last day.