Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Called To Be A Witness
St. Luke 12:8-9“And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God; but whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God” vs. 8-9.
As Christians, we are chosen to be witnesses for God. We hear many people reciting this phrase, but what exactly does it mean? According to the dictionary, a witness is “one who publicly affirms religious faith.” There are a multitude of ways we as Christians can display our faith to others. Oftentimes, people wrongly believe the only way to be a witness is to preach about our belief. On the contrary, the most compelling witnessing that we can execute is through our daily actions.
The most prominent witness for God is Jesus Christ. He is our greatest example to follow. Jesus showed people to God through his moral actions, miracles, faith - and ultimately demonstrated God’s love for us through His magnanimous sacrifice on the cross. He urges followers like us to lead others closer to God through our behavior. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus warned that there would come a time when He would separate the sheep from the goats. The sheep will be on His right and the goats will be on His left. To the sheep He will declare, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me” (Matthew 25:34-36). Through this passage, Jesus portrays that witnessing is manifested through service rather than speech. Jesus takes pleasure in the followers that behave in a godly manner.
As believers, we should strive to let our actions speak about our faith. When we go to school, work, or even church, we can further the faith of those around us. We can be witnesses in these locations by sharing God’s love, spreading positivity, and being kind. Being a witness of God through our actions includes living our lives according to Jesus’ teachings and by obeying the virtues of the fruit of the Spirit. Every gesture we make can be used as a declaration of our living God. Even when we pray, we are being a witness of God. By praying, we acknowledge that God is real, and He listens to our supplications. All in all, everything we do can be used as a personal testimony for our faith. We can exhibit God to the world through every movement we make. Even though we should aim to witness our faith through our actions, we have to be mindful of the fact that salvation is given to us as a gift from God. May the Lord Almighty continue to bless us with everything we need as we partake in the challenging endeavor of being a witness for God.
The most prominent witness for God is Jesus Christ. He is our greatest example to follow. Jesus showed people to God through his moral actions, miracles, faith - and ultimately demonstrated God’s love for us through His magnanimous sacrifice on the cross. He urges followers like us to lead others closer to God through our behavior. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus warned that there would come a time when He would separate the sheep from the goats. The sheep will be on His right and the goats will be on His left. To the sheep He will declare, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me” (Matthew 25:34-36). Through this passage, Jesus portrays that witnessing is manifested through service rather than speech. Jesus takes pleasure in the followers that behave in a godly manner.
As believers, we should strive to let our actions speak about our faith. When we go to school, work, or even church, we can further the faith of those around us. We can be witnesses in these locations by sharing God’s love, spreading positivity, and being kind. Being a witness of God through our actions includes living our lives according to Jesus’ teachings and by obeying the virtues of the fruit of the Spirit. Every gesture we make can be used as a declaration of our living God. Even when we pray, we are being a witness of God. By praying, we acknowledge that God is real, and He listens to our supplications. All in all, everything we do can be used as a personal testimony for our faith. We can exhibit God to the world through every movement we make. Even though we should aim to witness our faith through our actions, we have to be mindful of the fact that salvation is given to us as a gift from God. May the Lord Almighty continue to bless us with everything we need as we partake in the challenging endeavor of being a witness for God.
Prayer
Dear God, help us to be Your witnesses and to lead those around us to You. Present to us the provisions we require to live a godly life. Please let our lives be the spark that someone needs to learn about You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Thought for the dayAs St. Francis of Assisi once said, “Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.” May these words ring true in our lives as we strive to show the promise of God’s Kingdom to this unbelieving world.
Joanna Zachariah
Mar Thoma Church of Oklahoma
Mar Thoma Church of Oklahoma
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church