When someone speaks of testimony, what thoughts come to mind?

Is it purely your conversion story, of when you came to know Christ?  Could it be what He is doing in and through your life right now?  Perhaps it could be a past encounter where you experienced the supernatural working of Jesus?  

I believe all these could comprise the meaning of testimony.  Simply put, it could be our story of Jesus in our lives.  It can be shared in a formal setting or in a casual conversation flowing out of just living life together.

One of my favorite songs is by the group, Sidewalk Prophets entitled “Live Like That”.  The kids and I love this song!  There seems to be some unwritten rule for all of us to stop what we are doing, meet up in the living room to sing and dance.  If you were at our house, I would have to clarify our version of “dancing”.  There is not much structured or rhythmic in our dancing when you mix in 3 and 5 year old boys doing their version of “Minion-inspired moves” with their 9 and 11 year old ballet-trained sisters!  It definitely can get interesting and pretty humorous!

Back to the song…these are the lyrics that stop me in my tracks, pondering:

“People pass

And even if they don’t know my name

Is there evidence that I’ve been changed?

When they see me, do they see you?”

It seems the Lord has been using these convicting truths to stir my heart more to engage people.  So what does this look like?

What is Our Call as Believers?

Scripture exhorts us to live Holy Spirit empowered in our everyday, allowing others to bear witness to our Gospel-transformed lives. 

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” (Col 4:5 NIV)

“You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” (Lev 19:34) 

Could it really just be a smile at the clerk in the grocery store as she helps me with my order?

Or is it more?

What about engaging in conversation with her?   Asking what is going on in her life?  If conversation continues, could it even be asking her how I could be praying for her? Could that “more” be crossing some “unstated line” of being nosy or possibly thinking I am working some angle in this conversation?

Or do our questions shut them down?

Jesus calls us to this, right?  

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31 ESV)

The Struggle is Real!

He knows our struggle with self-preoccupation, He leverages that as He instructs us how to love others.

Think about that….if we really followed this out.   Consider how radical our Christianity would shine in this world!  The impact would be unfathomable!

The world would tell you they don’t want to hear.  That they have seen enough, heard enough, and want nothing to do with this Jesus.

What if we follow the world’s lead on this? It is much deeper than them contemplating our motive or being “put off”.

If we listen to the world, they will miss everything! Eternity is at stake!  This must be kept in the forefront of our minds, of my mind!

“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree helping each other to one or the other of these destinations.  It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all of our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people.  You have never talked to a mere mortal…”  Everyone we come in contact with is a being with a soul, and our interaction is pointing them closer to heaven or hell.  There is no middle ground, that is a lie straight from the enemy. In keeping quiet, in what I view more as “being considerate and not stepping on any toes”, I am pushing them further away from coming to the our King of Kings, the Creator of this World. (C.S. Lewis The Weight of Glory pg. 45-46)

The World is Desperate to Hear!

“What, how can you say that? That seems so far from the truth,” one may say.

We see evidences contrary to this as people chase after every whim and fancy to satisfy.  I sit back in silence often and watch, not in arrogance, but remorse and sadness.  

What is our role in all of this?

We understand this searching, it is hard wired into all of us by our Creator. 

We have the answer to this dilemma.  

We recognize our world was intentionally designed to not satisfy; pointing us to the only One who can fulfill this deep longing in our souls.

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.  Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah”  (Ps 62:5-8)

So, back to my original question.  What does this look like?  What are we called to do?

We Must Love!

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35).

Our display of love will speak volumes to the watching world as they behold a love that is not “of this world”.  I am often reminded of 1 Cor 13:3 definition of love.  I can be the most eloquent of speakers, have the gift of prophecy, wisdom, faith, be a self-less giver, even a martyr, but I am told “if I do any or all of these things without love, than I am nothing.” 

All of my “doing” is as nothing, having no lasting worth.

What exactly does this love look like?

Perhaps it might be putting the needs of others in front of myself, seeking to serve instead of being served. 

Very practically, seeing opportunities to DO and BE the unexpected, that which might cause people to stop, pause and ask “why?”

We Must Be Willing to Risk!

What if they do get offended?  What if my words make them mad and they lash out?

Well, let’s really look at this.

If I stop and clearly think back in my life, has this happened?

Has there been anyone, who in an effort of genuine care and concern, who has ever been angered and lashed out?  How many times in asking someone how they are doing or how I could be praying for them, perhaps even a complete stranger, has it turned confrontational?   I don’t know that I can recall any.

This must be an enemy directed lie, targeted to silence our attempts to connect and allow the Gospel directed work of the Spirit to be evidenced by the world.  Again, as we continue to keep the mindset of eternity in front of us in our interactions with nonbelievers, I think our passion for others will be fueled.

Pray, Pray, Pray!

Without prayer, all of this work is in vain.

It must be the Holy Spirit taking our words and actions and breathing life in them.  It must be Holy Spirit infused power which births the desire to step out and engage the culture.

“The greatest thing anyone can do for God and man is pray. It is not the only thing; but it is the chief thing.  The great people of the earth today are the people who pray.  I do not mean those who talk about prayer; nor those who say they believe in prayer; not yet those who can explain about prayer; but I mean those who take time to pray.” S.D. Gordon.

I still feel I am grasping to understand more fully the impact of our prayers, and the importance of them.  I am asking the Lord to work this in my heart, to allow me to see as He sees.  I love the beauty of seeing our prayers being answered, catching glimpses of His workings in our lives and the lives of others. This can serve as a great catalyst to pray all the more!

Our battling for these souls must begin in prayer, it is foundational and essential!

Let’s Go and Do!

I want to encourage us all in this task of intentionally engaging others.  It is not easy, but it is necessary and commanded.  Eternal souls are at stake!  When we walk away from conversations and meetings, will we leave the aroma of Christ.

Allow these truths of Scripture to sink deeply into your heart. “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?  For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.” (2 Cor 2:15-17)

What kind aroma am I leaving…are you leaving?

One that draws others in to ask more questions, to linger in our presence, ultimately His presence.

Or do our words and actions make others feel unworthy and shunned?

We can easily forget we are all unworthy of the love Jesus has shown and offered to us. 

Blessings as we contemplate and bring this before Him!  May we continue to spur each other on to know and love Him more, and live this out where He has strategically placed us.