Witnessing is telling the truth about your first-hand experience. It’s sharing intertwined small vignettes of authenticity. Like a pearl necklace, each bead of truth on its own might not be of great import, but laced together, becomes a credible story to tell. Usually, the storytelling starts with a question asked, then the one who has witnessed the answers is inspired to share his/her experience. The pearls of answered questions ping one right after the other in the strength of their veritable purity.
Recently, my oldest teenage granddaughter with two of her softball teammates, dropped by between a couple of ballgames in her all-day tournament. Our home is just down the road from the community ballpark. The girls needed a respite from the unusually frigid March weather that was supposed to be balmy and springlike. Isn’t life just like that, full of unexpected days?
These three young spirits crashed through the front door, and amidst introductions, gamboled straight through the open living room towards the backdoor, across the porch, and down the garden path. Throughout this boisterous sprint, they were full of questions and exclamations. The back and forth conversation was mostly my granddaughter exuberantly sharing.
“My Maw always has food for us, even when we just drop in!”
“Isn’t her garden beautiful?”
“Let me show you the snapdragons (her favorite)!”
“Do you know what compost is? She does her own.”
“We’ll be picking tomatoes soon!”
“Back here behind the shed is a secret garden. Come see; I planted these flowers from seeds myself!”
She was showing out. She was showing off. Her effervescent exclamations were contagious. Sharing about what she experientially knew was easy. In fact, her joy was so overflowing that she couldn’t help but share.
Is this the way we witness of God’s love? Does our joy in our relationship with Jesus overflow, tumbling out of our mouths with confidence?
My witnesses, says the Lord, are you, my servants, you whom I have chosen to know me and put your faith in me and understand that I am He.
This is a refreshing account of witnessing! I was raised with the salesman approach–we needed to go sell Christianity to the world. It was abrasive and off-putting for those of us with quieter spirits. I never did a good job of “selling” Christ. But sharing my joy and exuberance for walking His path–that is my kind of witnessing. Thanks for such a beautiful example of effectively sharing our journey.
Thank goodness we are allowed to mature not only in our physiques but also our thinking. At least that is my truth as I’m experiencing it today.
Excellent analogy!
In many places in the world, Christian gatherings, let alone witnessing, is forbidden and harshly punished. We should thank God for the freedom in this country, earnestly pray to be preserved,
and avail it as it lasts !!!
We can only but tell of what we have seen and heard!