witness

Read 2 Timothy 1:8
          Colossians 4:5-6
          Acts 1:8
          Matthew 9:35-38

     Almost everyone has heard about being a good witness at one time or another. I heard it put in a different way at a retreat I went to this fall. The speaker started by telling a story about the ways people were witnessing in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. One guy was standing on the street corner yelling at people and handing out tracts. He was telling everyone how they were gonna go to Hell if they didn't accept Jesus into thier hearts. The speaker said that he walked down the road a little and came to one of those temporary tatoo shops. He was kind of interested so he walked inside to see what designs and stuff they had. The people inside were dressed in all black and had piercings and stuff...the kind of look you'd expect in a tatto shop. The speaker noticed that they had Christian music playing in the background and that there were tracts on the counter. He asked the guy about it and he told the speaker that they opened the shop as an outreach of their church. They liked tatoos and they liked to dress that way, but they also loved God and thought that it would be an awesome way to tell people about Him if they were curious. The true wittnesses were these guys. Sure, telling people about Christ on the street corner may save some folks, but these people were being who they were for God, and that's what we're suppost to do too. God's not impressed if you always wear Christian T-shirts or if you start up a Christian dance team or whatever...although these things are good. He wants you to be who He created you to be and be it for Him. We need to get out of our Christian bubbles...don't just hang out with Christian friends...make friends who are not believers...be in the world, but not of it...be a witness in all that you do. Invest your life in other people...truely care for them and be a friend...and love them. You don't have to put a Christian label on all the things you do. If you want to start a dance club, start just a dance club...why put the name Christian on it? Let non-believers in and maybe they'll get a taste of the light and want more. Who cares if they are "sinners". We all are. But those are the people Jesus hung out with...the sinners, the tax collectors, the protitutes. He befriended them, and they are the ones who need forgiveness. Just like people who are well don't need to go to the hospital for treatment, Jesus didn't die on the cross for the righteouss, He died for the sinners. We are not perfect...we all have our flaws, but God loves us just the way we are, so be all that you can for Him and be a witness in all that you do!

Let Christ's light so shine in you that others may see it and want it too!