There I was, kicked back in the chair with a bright light in my face, when the routine teeth cleaning turned into an inquisition. The dental hygienist did not start with the usual, “How often have you been flossing?” She instead began with a much more sinister question: “Are you ready for the holidays?” My usual response, “As ready as I will ever be,” didn’t halt the interrogation.

In amazement she asked, “When did your wife start decorating?” It was at this moment that I knew I needed to be clear about where I stand. I politely said, “I don’t celebrate Christmas.” The dental hygienist did not let me off easy. I had to explain several things, including the Sabbath, as the conversation continued.

These kinds of questions can pop up concerning many different things throughout the year. Subjects like the Sabbath, God’s holy days, birthdays, Easter and many others spark curiosity in others. However, often in these moments, our human nature doesn’t like being exposed as different. In these moments, Satan’s nature exerts a pull to not be identified as different—to make us feel embarrassed or maybe even ashamed of the truth of God.

The Bible has a lot to say about being ready to give an answer. “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you” (Matthew 10:19-20). God provides divine help in these moments—if we do not cower under the pull of human nature and hesitate to speak up when asked a curious question about the truth of God, the hope that lies within (1 Peter 3:15).

Notice the words of the repentant Jeremiah after his faith crisis: “I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed” (Psalm 119:46). He boldly proclaimed that he would not be intimidated or pressured into being ashamed of God and His truth.

“Can we be so bold?” Gerald Flurry asks. “Could you stand before kings, unashamed of God’s law of love that will rule Earth and the universe? We all have weakness and cowardice to fight and overcome. But we must never be ashamed of God” (The Psalms of David and the Psalter of Tara).

We have the proclivity to be cowards, but we must never let that facet of human nature cause us to be ashamed of God. As we approach the return of Christ, we can expect more curiosity about what we believe. There will be challenges as God’s Work becomes more well known around the world. We will be called to give account for what we have proved from the Word of God. We need to be ready to represent God with unashamed courage.

There are many keys to succeeding in these moments, one of which is in the very next verse; “And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved” (verse 47). Here Jeremiah says he will delight in God’s commandments. Delight must become a description for our personal relationship with God’s Word. “When you genuinely delight in something, that forms a deep impression in your mind and cements it in your memory. Jeremiah directed his heart to love God’s Word, which fixes it in the mind. Of course, being human, nothing is permanent; all requires maintenance. Such righteous delight, and determination to remember, must be continually renewed” (ibid). This particular key to being ready to give an answer when questioned about God’s truth is to delight in God’s commandments. When one delights in something they want more of, it leaves an impression on the mind and increases the desire to share. We should delight in explaining the delightful truths of God.

Delighting in God’s law impacts the way we live. Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary: “The more delight we take in the service of God, the nearer we come to the perfection we aim at.” This is a powerful point; we grow nearer to perfection when we delight in God’s service. If we delight in God’s law, we will not only be better ready to explain God’s law when asked, but we will be more prepared to live it. In many respects, our living example is a greater way to explain God’s commandments.

Think about delight as a litmus test, where certain areas of your life indicate red for ashamed or violet for strong delight. Dip it into your life and see what your test says.

Is your Bible study a delight—something you can’t wait to eat more of?

When you live by God’s instructions, do you recognize the delight it brings into your life?

When you are asked a question about the way you live based on God’s truth, is it a delight to give the answer?

Is God’s instruction such a delight that you want to hold on to it forever?

Many other areas in life need to be tested this way. Use the results to educate yourself on where you need to delight more in God’s law and truth. Pray for more of this delight, and God will give it to you.

Whether you find yourself under the bright lights of the dental inquisition chair, in conversation with a colleague at work, talking with your next-door neighbor or chatting with a family member, don’t let human nature intimidate you from representing God delightfully. Don’t be ashamed of God. Rather, give an answer with God-inspired courage of the truth that brings great delight into our lives.