There was a time in my life when I would cringe at the words "witness," "evangelize," or "sharing one’s faith" although I knew they were some of the most important words of Christianity. In Mark 16:15 Christ says, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." The thought of this used to terrify me. Somehow early in my faith walk I was given the message that to be saved you have to save people. While this is not necessarily correct there is some truth to it.
Being saved implies that a change has taken place in one’s heart. Our response to this change should be thanksgiving and out of the overflow of our heart’s contents we are to share the good news with those around us — even all of creation. Who knows who our testimony might save?
I don’t believe that witnessing has to be as scary as some make it out to be. I don’t believe that we have to walk around with our bibles and knock on people’s doors although I commend those that do. Witnessing should come natural to Christians. It is like when something good happens, we naturally want to tell the world about it. We call our sister, best friends, neighbors and grandma to share with them our news. When there is good news, we can consider it a blessing. We should make sure to tell our friends and neighbors the way God is working in our lives — even if we’re talking about heart-work. Incidentally, heart-work can be the most difficult to achieve. In this way, we can be walking testaments to God’s glory.
Another way to witness to God’s saving grace is to walk faithfully. By walking faithfully, I mean that we need to walk our talk and act under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Small and random acts of kindness will do the trick. God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). When you give, give in secret so that when your Father sees what is done privately He can reward you (Matthew 6:6). There are all sorts of small things that can be done every day that show that you are walking with the Lord — little things that testify to God’s goodness. I like to pick up other people’s trash and put their carts away in the parking lot. It seems stupid, but it’s just plain courtesy. I won’t win the prize for saint of the year, I’m sure, but it does my heart good to see that the parking lot attendant won’t have to chase after another runaway cart and to know that a seagull won’t be choked by a six-pack plastic ring holder. Christ says to witness to all creation. So what if I randomly choose to bless seagulls on occasion?
The environment needs plenty of witnesses to do the job of stewarding this great planet. Why not start with tending a parking lot, recycling a can or driving a fuel efficient car?
People like to be witnessed to in this form rather than the form of preaching. People like it when you hold the door for them. People like it when you drive courteously. People like it when you visit them in the hospital. Christ says in Matthew 25:45 "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
Christ has some ideas for random acts of kindness. They are: feeding the hungry, hydrating the thirsty, visiting the sick and the imprisoned, clothing the naked, and housing the estranged (Matthew 25:34-36). In Mark 9:41 (NIV) Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward." See, witnessing isn’t so hard. Try it sometime.
