WITNESS
Dr. John K. Mathew
A few years ago I was involved in a car accident.
A car that came from the opposite direction hit mine.The other driver came out of his car and started shouting and yelling at me, suggesting I caused the accident. He did not let me speak a word. It is a common practice in India where, finally, it is the fittest that survives.
A man was watching everything from behind the walls of a nearby house. He appeared on the scene and started describing in detail all that he witnessed and he unambiguously stated that it was the fault of the other driver. Immediately the driver stopped all his arguments and begged for my pardon.
A true witness reveals the truth. It can stop arguments, false accusations and bring peace and justice.
A witness is powerful. But, what if a witness doesn't open his mouth and speak? Jesus Christ called us to be his witnesses.Yet we could use a hundred reasons not to witness.
Following is a list of such reasons, prepared by the School of Lifelong Education at
Oral Roberts University -
How can I witness to a non-Christian?
I stutter when I talk.
I don't know the Bible well enough.
What if I am asked questions I don't know how to answer?
What if he / she knows the Bible better than I do?
What if he makes me question my own faith?
If I witness at work or school people will make fun of me.
Why should I witness? There are plenty of other Christians to do it.
Witnessing is not my calling. I do other things for God.
Although these are genuine reasons, God's requirements for a witness is just to know Jesus Christ. What exactly does it mean to witness? "Witnessing is a science, an art, and a mystery. It involves connecting your faith with people's experience in a way they can understand it, in their own time and manner. It means cooperating with whatever God's Spirit may be doing with them and leaving the results to Him". (The Ultimate A to Z Resource).
The Samaritan woman was just an ordinary person.The very first thing she did soon after she recognized Christ to be the Messiah was to get back to her town and witness Him.
The demon possessed in Gerasenes (Gadarenes) did the same thing. As soon as he was released from the demon he wanted to follow Jesus, although Jesus did not ask him to. Instead Jesus asks him to go home, to his own people, and tell them how much the Lord had done for him (Mark 5:19,paraphrased) It is written that, "The man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed." (Mark 5:20).
All it takes to witness is to know Jesus. It is the responsibility of all of us to know Him and make Him known.
