Tell Your Testimony!

Isaiah 64:8 (NIV) “Yet You, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand.”

Matthew 10:29-31 (NIV) “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

James 4:6 (NIV) “But He gives us more grace. That is why scripture says, ’God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’”

Matthew 5:13-15 (NIV) “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house.”

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Recently, I quit asking friends I see how they are doing. “How do you do?” has always seemed a little surface-oriented to me, anyway, because your answers are limited to basic positive responses (Great! Never better!) or tell-all negatives that no one wants to hear in a brief encounter. My new greeting is more to the heart of life in Jesus’ way. I simply ask what new thing the Lord is doing in their life.

Hopefully, my question shows I am truly interested in the person and gives me knowledge on how to pray for my brother or sister in Christ. Sometimes, the response gives an opportunity for ministry right then just as Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reports that, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: if either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” Conversely, when the testimony is good news, it can stir up light and hope in me as I hear it!

There is certainly a time for our salvation journey testimonies. Others who do not have a relationship with Jesus, yet, can benefit from our experiences. But Jesus, the Potter who fashions the clay, is continually bringing us into new experiences to teach us His truths. He does not leave us the same as we were at our salvation. As new creations, we benefit from the “continuing life in Christ” testimonies. They help disciple us.

Though it may sound complicated, it is really simple. Your continuing testimony can be as short and sweet as new reflections on creation as you heard the birds and watched them in the sunlight. It may have reminded you that even they are in the Father’s care, just as He cares for you (Matthew 10:29-31). Your testimony could be about a new understanding of a scripture you received in a sermon. Or, it could be a special experience that impacted you from your fellowship with the Lord. Sometimes, it is about grace received through a trial (James 4:6). It’s what is new and fresh in your life with Jesus.

So be salt and light with your current testimonies! It’s an easy way to witness and bless others. You never know who is being impacted by your story. And your faith gets stirred up as you remind yourself of the Lord’s interaction in your life, too.