When I was a boy, there was one bug I never hesitated to pick up—the Ladybug. We didn’t see them often, so whenever I found one, it felt almost like finding a four-leaf clover. I’d let them crawl on my hands and arms. I didn’t like bugs, but Ladybugs weren’t bugs to me—they were tiny pets.
Then came their look-alike.
At first, I couldn’t tell the difference. I picked up Asian Lady Beetles the same way I picked up Ladybugs. One day someone pointed it out: “See all those extra spots on the wings? And those large white patches on the head? That’s not a Ladybug. That’s an Asian Lady Beetle.”
That changed everything.
Ladybugs are harmless and beneficial—they feed on pests and never swarm. Asian Lady Beetles, on the other hand, gather in clusters, damage plants, and stink when crushed.
From that day forward, I stopped picking up Ladybugs altogether. For the next ten years, if anything that looked like a Ladybug landed on me, I brushed it off—whether it was a Ladybug or a Beetle. Instead of learning to tell the difference, I treated them all as pests.
Looking back, I realize my ignorance robbed me of something special—something I could have shared with my grandchildren. One bug was a nuisance, but the other was a joy. And I let my lack of knowledge lump them together.
Ignorance is not bliss.
The world does the same thing with Christians.
The media is quick to highlight the worst examples—those who fail morally, act foolishly, or fall into scandal. Whether it’s a pastor on television or someone simply calling themselves a Christian, if they do something wrong, the world tries to paint all Christians with the same brush.
Forget, for a moment, that the world celebrates behaviors—drunkenness, sexual immorality, foul language, manipulation—that are common in prime-time television and everyday life. They don’t judge themselves by the same standard. Why? Because they don’t claim to follow Christ, so they feel no responsibility to restrain themselves.
But if a believer stumbles, suddenly we’re all hypocrites.
One failure becomes evidence—so they say—that all Christians are fake.
The truth?
Most Christians are sincere. Most pastors are faithful. Most evangelists are godly servants trying to reach people with the love of Christ. Many, like Samaritan’s Purse under Franklin Graham, or like Renee and me through Tim and Renee Burt Ministries, use every donation to reach the lost, help missionaries, and care for people in desperate need. We don’t take a penny of it.
Being a Christian means surrendering your life to Jesus, repenting of sin, and beginning a lifelong journey of transformation. But the world doesn’t understand that. They expect perfection from Christians while excusing sin in themselves. When a believer fails, they label the entire faith corrupt.
That is the Ladybug/Asian Lady Beetle syndrome.
People don’t know the difference, so they lump everything together.
It’s one of the enemy’s oldest strategies.
If you don’t have strong convictions anchored in God’s truth, the world’s criticism can shake you. You can start to feel embarrassed about your faith. Many college students walk away from Christianity because they aren’t grounded enough to defend what they believe when challenged.
Once you become ashamed of being a Christian, you begin to withdraw from your faith—eventually becoming indistinguishable from the world, and sometimes abandoning your walk with God altogether. The devil cannot take your faith, but he can deceive you into forsaking it through confusion, accusation, or offense.
So when someone ignorantly attacks Christianity because of one person’s failure, don’t shrink back. Respond gently but firmly. Be bold, but gracious. Remind them that Christians aren’t perfect—we are forgiven, and we are under ongoing construction by the Holy Spirit.
“The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions.” — Proverbs 28:1
Be bold.
Be the light.
Let people see the difference between the “Ladybugs” and the “Beetles,” and be the kind of Christian whose life makes it unmistakable which one you are.
Philippians 2:15 (NLT) says, “…Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”
Shine brightly.
Live boldly.
And show the world what a real Christian looks like.
