Why Not?

"And now, beloved, marvel not that I tell you these things; for why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him, as to attain to the knowledge of a resurrection and the world to come?"
~Jacob 4:12 (Book of Mormon)

Today as I was reading my scriptures, this scripture stuck out to me yet again. I love it. On the page of my scriptures, I have written the phrase "Why not?" And it really got me thinking. I'm out sharing the message of Christ full-time on my mission right now, but when I was at home I didn't really share as much as I maybe should have to my friends. And I know that a lot of us do likewise. What stops us from sharing this joyous message?
I think a lot of the time we resist sharing because of fear. We don't feel like we understand the atonement of Christ well enough, we might think that those we share with will turn away from us, or the many other excuses we have. The message we know and love is so dear to us and so much a part of us, and rejection hurts. But if we really love the people around us and want them to know more about us, why don't we share the thing that brings us the most joy and will bring us the most joy?
Through Christ we have a hope for a better life now and in eternity. He helps us to love, forgive, and heal. Because of Him, we never have to walk the path alone. There is so much suffering in this world, and when we are seeking to end the suffering and pain, when we seek to have "world peace", or even just to make the world around us a better place, why not speak of Christ?

"For I am not ^aashamed of the ^bgospel of Christ: for it is the ^cpower of God unto ^dsalvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
~Romans 1:16 (New Testament)