Proclaiming Jesus

I read Acts 4:29 recently, “29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.” The statement itself did not surprise me, just its location in the story. Just beforehand in chapter 3 (Acts 3:1-10), Peter had healed a man crippled for over 40 years. The people were astonished and this gave Peter the platform to proclaim the good news that is Jesus, crucified, dead, and resurrected (Acts 3:11-26). Now, this is where I would be praying, God give me boldness to proclaim your Word. Look at all Peter has done in your name! He has healed a crippled man and preached powerfully on your behalf. I want that! Help me be bold for you! However more transpires before the believers pray this. The Sadducees seized Peter and John in Chapter 4 and threw them in jail. They threatened Peter and John and told them to no longer teach in this name (Jesus). And Peter responds with some of my favorite scripture: Acts 4:19-20, “19But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. 20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." Because they had experienced Jesus and the power of his freedom they could not back down from proclaiming the good news. After being released from jail and telling the followers the whole story, this is when they praised God and prayed for boldness in 4:29. They asked for boldness with the knowledge that preaching Jesus would mean jail time, threats, probable physical abuse, maybe even death. We so many times shy away from bringing Jesus into conversations or giving God the praise when it is uncomfortable for us. I wonder what those early believers would think about that. Better yet, I wonder what Jesus thinks about that? When will you ask for the boldness to proclaim Christ? Only when things are going great and you are in comfortable company, or will you proclaim Jesus when things are tough and the people around you scoff at and persecute you? Jesus, the apostles, and the early church all spoke of the salvation that Jesus brings through intense persecution, I think I can relinquish my comfort.