Testimony

My good friend Adam just got engaged. Congrats to him. It's odd to think that not all that long ago we met when Midway Elementary was consolidated and he came to Sardis in the sixth grade. Now we are both married (or soon will be). And really, it wasn't that long ago. 13 years ago. Incredible to think what can happen in such a short span of time. It makes me wonder what things will be like when I'm 38.

Adam also just got back from a mission trip to Costa Rica. It's his second or third trip to the country. I've always admired missionaries and well, teachers and preachers of any kind for that matter. But especially those that work on a personal level with unbelievers or new believers and help foster relationships with Christ.

I often think it would be easier to minister to total strangers, but honestly, it's not an easy job. It least it never has been for me. I think a big reason why is that I'm not prepared.

Everyone should have a testimony to share. I always think that my story would be rather boring and rather ineffective, but what I need to remember is that as long as the testimony centers on truth and the death and resurrection of Jesus, it can't be ineffective. After all, Jesus said in Luke 12:12, "For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

Trusting that the Holy Spirit will use me as a vessel for God's message is key. Without the trust, I cannot do anything, but with it, I cannot fail.

I just finished reading about Andrew in the book Twelve Ordinary Men. Andrew was the first to be called by Jesus and he was obviously close to Jesus but was never mentioned in Acts after the upper room meeting in chapter 1. Yet Andrew played a huge role in the growth of the church. He introduced Peter to Jesus and also brought the young boy with the fish and loaves to Jesus just before one of the most amazing miracles int he Bible. The author of the book points out that because Andrew introduced Peter to Jesus, it makes him the first to go into someone's home and share the gospel. Andrew also brought some Greeks to Jesus in John 12, making him kind of a foreign missionary as well.

That all goes to show the trust and faith Andrew had in Jesus. He knew there were five thousand men waiting to be fed, so why would he bother to bring Jesus five loaves and two fish if he did not believe that Jesus could turn it in to a miracle?

While Andrew never preached to the masses as Peter did and never wrote a book of the Bible, he made an impact on a personal level. He is really an example of what we all could be. Not all of us have the rhetorical skills to have a TV show or the writing skills to pen a book, but each of us has the ability to share what we know to our friends, family and strangers alike.

I'm going to take a cue from Andrew and start working on my testimony so I can start sharing my faith.