To be ....
3. In Christian Witness
-a Christ honoring witness
-John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
In the book, A Voice in the Wind (I know I keep referring to it, but like I said, the book helped inspire me to propose these challenges to you!) Hadassah was a witness to God everyday. As a slave, her master would call upon her to tell them stories. Every story Hadassah shared was a story from the Bible. Although her masters did not fully understand and make the connections they enjoyed her stories. Eventually two of them did become Christians.
How exciting is that? Can you imagine being a slave and sharing with your master the story about Jesus? Stories from the Bible?
It can be so hard to be a Christian witness. Maybe we are shy and we don't want to talk. Maybe we are scared of rejection. Maybe we are even embarrassed to share about our faith. There are so many things that stops us from sharing about God.
In my own Christian life, I know how hard this can be. At this time in my life, I don't feel God pushing me towards mission trips, or even going house to house to share the Word of God. I don't feel comfortable going up to strangers and sharing either. I don't know maybe I am embarrassed and shy when it comes to that.
As I grow in my faith, I do feel the need to share with others more. I ask myself, how can I be a Christian witness? How can I share about Jesus?
The more I thought about this question, the more I realized I am a Christian witness. In a lot of things that I do, I witness to those around me.
Facebook has been a great way for me to witness to others. I can post a Bible verse, a prayer, anything about the Glory of God and how God has helped me in my own life. People are reading it. Maybe a nonbeliever reads it one day and has hope. Maybe even a Christian reads it and gains new hope.
Blogging has been another way that I can witness to those around me. The story of me is my greatest witness. I can share about me. People can read about my story and my faith. I started this blog as a way to track the life Drew and I are building. But the more and more I type the more I realize...this is my Christian witness. This is the life God is building for us. This is my story of how God is working in my life. You feel my tears, my hopes, my joys, my faith. This is my Christian witness. This is my story. Just sharing your own story with someone is being a Christian witness...
At church Sunday, Dr. Bouknight challenged us to be witnesses even when we are at a restaurant. Before you eat a meal do you say grace? Are you embarrassed to do it in public?
I will admit, in the past I said grace over my food every once in a while, but not consistently. But last year, something clicked in Drew and I, and our faith grew stronger. We also became stronger in our marriage. We started praying together over our meals at home, and soon started praying over our meals when we are at restaurants. And honestly, it makes me feel good. It makes me feel good to know I am not ashamed to publicize that I am a Christian. God gave me this food to nourish my body so that I can do His work. Saying grace to God for this food? Not a question. It's my praise and my thanks to God. You never know who is watching you. So why not say a prayer? Maybe someone else will have the courage to say grace in public too! I'm not going to lie, every time I see another family hold hands and say grace, it brings joy to my heart and feels me with even greater hope knowing God is everywhere!
One way I want to challenge myself to be a better witness is through Sonic. If you listen to WMHK you know on Fridays they do the Drive Thru Difference. Drew and I discussed that every Friday sometime during the day he would pick a customer and pay for their meal. And that we would include the letter available online at WMHK's website (see below). We are going to start this next Friday. I can't wait to see how it goes and see how God touches someone else's life!
(image from WMHK's website)
*I think ours would be signed "Your friends at Sonic" (or something to that affect)
Sometimes it's just the little things we do to be part of Christian witnessing. What can you do to be part of it? Will you pay for someones meal behind you in the drive thru? Will you say grace over your meal in public? Will you leave a bible verse for the janitor? Will you post a prayer on Facebook? Will you give a Christian book to a friend? Will you take the hand of someone in need and pray for them and with them? Will you invite someone to church? What will you do? The possibilities are endless.
Good luck my friends! I hope you have read and considered participating in the three challenges I have proposed over the last three days.
Will you....
1. show Christian love (even to your enemies)?
2. be useful (at church, at home, at work)?
3. be a Christian witness?
I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT! Pray about it and see what God can do in your life and even in someone else's life!
Be blessed!
To hear Dr. Bouknight's sermon: Click Below...
http://my.ekklesia360.com/Clients/sermonaudioplayer.php?CMSCODE=EKK&siteid=3053&sermonid=202711&useSkin=
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