Be proud of him

I’m proud of my son, my house, my car, and my achievements. I’m eager to display them to others and extol their many fine qualities. But it’s sometimes a different story with God. I’m afraid to identify myself as His children because I fear that I will be criticized -- or labelled as religious fanatics.

And I want to change that. Next time that I will feel the sense of embarrassment over my desire to grow closer to God, I’ll ask myself, “What do I have to be ashamed of?” After all, God is creative and powerful. He is loving. He is merciful. He is the perfect Father. And as His child, I should be the proudest offspring in the world.

Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
-- Matthew 10:32, 33