Witness
I was reading the verse and devotional given for today in the 30 day journal and the question was "what do you think it means to be one of Christ's witnesses?" I'm a little too practical sometimes and as a result I went to Webster's dictionary (online, I may be practical, but I've very 22nd century) to look up "witness". Webster's had 6 entries for Witness. I really liked the wording for the 3rd entry. It's "One asked to be present at a transaction so as to be able to testify to its having taken place". When I think that in terms of Christ and the gospel, I'm encouraged. He asked the disciples then and he asks us now to be present with him and to testify that _______ has taken place. Insert His transactions in the blank, whether it be dark to light, death to life, old man to new man, our spirit to His Holy Spirit.
Even though being a witness comes with great responsibility, it offers a peace like no other at the same time.
posted by Jake @ 5:53 AM
5 Comments:
You know I think we put way too much pressure on ourselves to save the world and evangelize everybody we see. I like that definition because it reminds us that we are the ones standing by while Christ is the one doing the work.
I'm really tired of "convincing" people and have given it up. Instead, I've started suggesting to people that the tug on their heart they feel might just be God calling them to rest in His love. I have no need to argue with anybody, I just stand back and watch the Spirit do his thing.
This is one of my favorite analogies, so forgive me if I've used it before (and when I use it again repeatedly) but when Jesus talks about people being born by the Spirit, being born again, we assume that means that we're the moms in the equation. We think we're the ones doing all the hard work, but we're the midwives, not the moms. We're intimately connected to the process, but it's not our doing. We stand beside and watch it happen, encouraging where we can.
Always before, witnessing to someone scared me because I was afriad that I would say something stupid (which never happens) and drive that person even farther from God than they were before. I just didn't trust Him to be in control, that He would be speaking through me.
Last week, God allowed me to witness to one of my cousins. From the moment he sat down beside me, God said go and for a change I didn't question and have been blessed immensely. Like Jared said, it wasn't trying to sell Jesus, it was me telling him what Christ had done in my life and how His love had changed me over the years. I think we do the world a great disservice when we witness His Grace and Love and keep it to ourselves.
personally, i've been traumatized by the people in free speech alley - i cannot get away from the mental picture of getting screamed at that i'm going to hell - so the thought of "evangilism" causes slight twitches...
i prefer to witness by example. His light shining through me, with absolute authenticity and a healthy dose of transparency. much better on the nervous system...
sorry, evangelism is spelled wrong - i was twitching... i was remembering more of the trauma - there is a memory of being screamed at - something about being a slut - i was married... how, exactly, does that work???
boo on crazy, screaming people in free speech alley...
BOO indeed Ann!!
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