Don’t stick your neck out, goes a common English proverb. If you take that risk, if you are too bold you will get it chopped off. That was literally true for John the Baptist who told the truth to power and paid for it with his life. It was also true of Jesus and Jeremiah who were willing to proclaim God’s word even though it would cost them their lives. For what are we willing to stick our necks out? If we, for example, risk talking about our faith with a friend or family member we all too often hear some version of “you do your thing and I’ll do mine.” No one likes to feel rejected but the Biblical examples urge us to speak.
