Never be ashamed to show your colors, boys. Let every body know that you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s better to go to heaven amid a storm of opposition for Christ’s sake, with your souls happy amid it all, than go sneaking into heaven as backsliders.”
These were the words spoken to a circle of young boys by an earnest evangelist, under whose ministry they had been converted. He was now leaving them, and in the godless little town where they lived, there were few to feed or shepherd them as lambs of the flock. They had accompanied him to the railway station to see him go to other fields of labor, and, as he shook hands with them on the platform, this was his last advice to them. And it was good, was it not?
The boys met that night to seek help from God to put it into practice, and from that day onward they were, through the Lord’s mercy, enabled to “show their colors”
Years have come and gone since the words were spoken, but their echo seems to linger. We are persuaded that by far the greatest number of young believers become backsliders by failing to “show their colors,” to show to others that they belong to the Lord. They do not take a stand as the Lord’s witnesses among then companions and fellow workers.
Consequently they soon become like them. There is scarcely any perceptible difference between them and the unconverted. The same subjects form the topic of their conversation. They share their jokes, and, in some cases, excel in making them. This is what the Lord’s servant, truly named “sneaking into heaven as a backslider.” What a dishonor to the Lord! What a loss to the young believer!
Reader, do you show your colors, or if not, why? You will he a loser now if you become a backslider, you will lose the joy of the Lord, and you will be a loser too at Christ’s judgment-seat.
“If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ, happy are ye,”
“If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf.” 1 Peter 4:14,16.
ML 05/11/1941