Backbone

We live in a world with many people that carry strong convictions.  We often find ourselves struggling to talk about them, letting the inner conviction hide behind our fear of being accepted, getting along, or dealing with conflict.  I know that even when I know the truth, I am initially reluctant to take a proactive stand with it.  I want to measure its impact.  I want to evaluate its reach.  I want to understand the price I may pay.  In short, my backbone is not always as strong as it may appear.  Even with truth in my heart, compromise can be very appealing.
In the midst of political campaigns, one listens to people talking with strong convictions.  I often wonder where they have been for the past four years.  It is as if with victory comes silence.  It is as if with a paycheck comes conformance.  It is as if with the taste of reward comes compromise.  It is hard to know which forces shapes us more; the fear of the future or the paybacks due to the past.
I am not immune to this weakness.  I am like many Singaporeans, willing to give up freedom and convictions for the assurance of security, reward, and success.  I do not say this with any sense of superiority.  My willingness to find the easy solution puts me in a large community.  Yet, when I see examples of those standing up for what they believe, I find myself energized.  Truth has a way of doing that!  Even old stories wash over my soul like an electric shock. 
“When Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: 'Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight.'”  (Acts 2.14-16)  I find myself energized and challenged.  There is an alternative response to opportunities to make a difference.  I can step into the breach and stand up for truth.  I can be a voice for compassion.  I can exercise mercy.  I can, in this moment, be part of the difference.