Be A Good Witness To The World
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?
Matthew 5:13
As Christians, we influence society around us by being distinct from the world. If we are pretty much the same as those around us, we have no role to play in impacting the darkness and desperation that Jesus came to overcome. Sometimes we think that just by passing out a tract, we are being a good witness. But a cynical and hurting world looks at the whole package. How distinct from the world are we?
Imagine this scenario: a waitress overhears the table of women she is serving speaking excitedly of another person. They seem to be genuinely enthusiastic. Curious, she listens more closely and finds out that these women are talking about Jesus.
The waitress wonders how they are different from anyone else she knows. She can see that they really enjoy each other’s company, and thinks that’s a wonderful thing. But then, when she approaches the table to take their orders, they are cold and superficial toward her, barely acknowledging her as a person. The waitress imagines that she has done so many things wrong that Jesus would probably ignore her too.
When she returns with their food, she hears them talking about how amazing the church service was and how good God has been to them. By now the waitress is feeling unworthy, thinking about her life and her problems. There is no way she could ever connect with this group of women who are having so much fun talking about this Jesus. She starts to think that if these women are distant, Jesus must also be distant. If these women ignore her, Jesus must be the same way.
The table of women leave, still preoccupied with their own interests and concerns, without saying “thank you”. As she starts cleaning up the mess they left, she finds a tract on the table entitled “The Four Spiritual Laws” and on top of it is a quarter for her good work. The tract is cleared away with the rest of the trash and she pockets the quarter.
The waitress now has an impression about Jesus. She may not remember the details of this day, but she’ll remember that Jesus isn’t interested in her and that he’s a cheapskate.
This is not how we should witness to the world. Jesus pleads with His followers to be good representatives. We are to walk in love – in love that expresses itself in the desire to make known the way of life, and to “turn men from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God.”
What opportunities do you have today to be a living epistle of Jesus’ love?
Will you choose to be distinct from the world around you? Now, that’s the choice driven life!
Today’s Bible Reading:
1 Kings 6; 2 Chr 3; 1 Timothy 1
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Great post and a good reminder that it’s not what you say that people will remember, but what you do! I believe that going the extra mile for someone and doing a kindness just to be kind is all part of being a Christian.
I love to witness to people about what Jesus did for me, but you are right sometimes we can be so busy in our own circles and forget people around us; not good!!
It’s interesting that you use the waitressing analogy, because my niece once made a comment to us (she used to be a waitress) that Christians are the worst tippers. The Sunday-after-church crowd made a deep and lasting impression on her, as a cheerful single mom doing an excellent job… yet receiving little or no tips from the Christians.
This is an excellent article, Olga, and a great reminder to us!