Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So

You have a voice, but it is of no value if you don’t use it. It is constructive or destructive, depending on how you use it. How are you using your ability to communicate? Negative voices are releasing toxic information in our society. Are you seeking to rebut them in any way? Perhaps you voice won’t make a difference. Combined with others of like-mind it can. Even a single voice can make a difference. Consider that of a little man from the country named Telemachus. 

Mark the year A.D. 391. The city Rome, Italy. The character involved was named Telemachus, a resident of a small rural village. Without knowing it he had been led to Rome by the Lord. He followed the surging crowd and ended up in the Colosseum. In amazement he heard the gladiators stand before the emperor and say, “We who are about to die salute you.” Only then did he realize that they were about to fight to the death for the entertainment of the crowd. He shouted out, “In the name of Christ, STOP!” The noise of the crowd drowned him out.

As the games began he pushed his way through the crowd and eventually dropped to the floor of the arena. This tiny little man continued to shout, “In the name of Christ, STOP!”

The crowd thought he was a part of the show and laughed at first. Then, realizing he wasn’t became angry. As he pleaded with the gladiators to stop, one plunged his sword into his body. He fled to the stand and as he lay dying his last words were: “In the name of Christ, stop!”

Then a strange thing happened. A hush fell over the crowd as the gladiators stood and looked at that tiny little man lying there. In the upper rows a man stood and made his way to the exit. Others followed. A dead silence gripped the crowd as others filed out.

The year A.D. 391 and that was the last battle to the death in the Roman Colosseum. Never again did men kill men for the entertainment of the crowd. This happened all because of one small voice that could hardly be heard above the crowd. One small voice — one life — that spoke the truth in Christ’s name: STOP!

Many people are suffering at the hands of others in our brutal society. Isn’t there a voice to say, “In the name of Christ, STOP!”

Let’s be candid, to speak up in defense of Jesus or any cause of which He would espouse you can expect there to be efforts to shout you down. I’ve been there, and they have done that. Regardless of whether you carry the day and your cause prevails or fails you can rejoice in that you were faithful. Speak up!

The disciples spoke up even after being ordered not to. They were beaten severely as a result. Thereafter they went out rejoicing that they were considered worthy to suffer for the Lord.